COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Central Ohio Transit Authority board of trustees approved fare increases Tuesday.
NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.
COTA's board approved fare increases Tuesday effective Friday, Jan. 1, 2010, for all fixed-route bus and paratransit services.
COTA last raised fares in 2006.
One-way local cash fares will increase from $1.50 to $1.75 while local monthly passes with unlimited rides will increase from $45 to $55.
“We believe that our customers should contribute a reasonable portion of the cost to provide transit service,” said COTA President/CEO Bill Lhota. “By adjusting fares upward we are striving to maintain an equitable ratio between the fare paid by the customer and amount subsidized by the taxpayers.”
The proposed increase positions COTA closer to the transit industry standard fare box recovery rate while accounting for the inflationary factors that impact the cost of providing transit service.
“Because of the challenging economic environment, the new fare structure is designed to minimize the impact on our customers while also helping us to catch up with inflation,” Lhota said.
The fare increases are projected to generate approximately $2.1 million in additional revenue annually.
Even with the increase, COTA’s fare structure is generally equal to or less than the transit fare structure in other major Ohio cities.
FARE SCHEDULE
- Local $1.50 currently; $1.75 with increase
- Express $2 currently; $2.50 with increase
- Monthly Unlimited (local) $45 currently; $55 with increase
- Monthly Unlimited (express) $62 currently; $78 with increase
- Monthly Unlimited (discount) $22 currently; $27.50 with increase
- 7-Day $18 currently; $22 with increase
- Single Day $3.50 currently; $4 with increase
- Senior, Child, Key $.75 currently; $.85 with increase
- ADA (Mainstream) $2.25 currently; $3 with increase
- ADA (Mainstream) monthly $70 currently; $89 with increase
- Non-ADA $3 currently; $3.50 with increase
- ADA (Sedan Voucher) $3.50 currently; $4 with increase
- ADA (Will Call) $3 currently; $3.50 with increase
Transfers will be free, and ADA cardholders ride fixed-route service for free.
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