Metrolink Fare Increase

[jeffe77]

www.metrolinktrains.com/fares/?id=14

Proposed Fare Increase
Metrolink is proposing an average annual fare increase of 3.5 percent in 2007, 2008 and 2009 to offset anticipated increases in costs to operate commuter train service. If approved by the Metrolink Board of Directors the new fares would go into effect on July 1, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

In 2004, our Board of Directors approved a plan for average annual increases in fares of 3.5 percent along with a restructuring of our fare policy over a 10-year period beginning July 1, 2005. Under the restructuring plan, all fares are now based on a measurement of the driving distance between stations. This new system is being implemented over a 10-year period. The Board of Directors previously approved an overall annual station pair cap of 10 percent on fare increases due to the implementation of this system. Under the proposed 3.5% fare increase for 2007, over 99% of monthly pass holders would only see a total fare increase of 6.5% or less, well below even the original 8% cap. Passengers who wish to see what their fare would be under this proposal can click here to use our online proposed fare calculator.

For those members of the public who wish to comment on the proposed fare changes there are several options. Comments can be e-mailed to [e-mail], faxed to [phone] (addressed to Metrolink Fares) or mailed to Metrolink Fares, 700 South Flower St., 26th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017.

All comments will be compiled and presented on Friday, April 27th at 10:00 a.m. at the Metrolink Board of Directors meeting held in the Southern California Regional Rail Authority Boardroom located at 700 South Flower St., 25th Floor, Los Angeles, California. In addition, a public hearing before the board will be held at that meeting to give the public an opportunity to address the board in person

Additional Reading:

Fare Increase FAQ

[richard]

Metrolink Tries to Push Through Fare Increase on Unwary Passengers

It's curious how jeffe started this thread on March 30, when the only notice that Metrolink provided its passengers was on the morning of April 3.

So why does Metrolink think it's necessary to try to push through a three-year fare increase on its passengers in a highly compressed time period, without full disclosure of the effect on fares, and with almost no notice.


Background:

When the last multi-year fare increase was approved in 2004, it was a many month process that included extensive public comment periods and public meetings. At that time, annual increases of approximately 3.5 percent were approved for each year over a 10-year period.

This time around, the proposal is to increase fares an additional 3.5 percent over the next three years. That means that for the next three years the fare increase will be double what was previously approved in 2004.

The only notice that passengers received was a flyer dropped on the seats on some, but not all, morning trains on April 3, 2007. The meeting to approve the fare increase is the next regular board meeting on April 27, 2007. The fare increase was not even mentioned in the monthly Metrolink Matters publication for April.

Many passengers don't even know the fares are being increased and it's hard to find the information about the increase on Metrolink's web site (metrolinktrains.com), even if you know about it. See if you can find it.

And beyond that, what's available on the web site only focuses on one year of the fare increase without showing what the two subsequent years fare increases will look like.

It's difficult to see the effect of the fare increase, because the calculator provides the fares only for each station pair, one at a time. It would take hundreds of uses of the calculator to determine how the fares would look system-wide.

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Metrolink's fares are already high and its farebox recovery ratio is one the highest in the nation.

Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrolink_%28Southern_California%29

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So, with almost no notice to its passengers, and without disclosing the full effect of the proposed increase, Metrolink is trying to push through a multi-year fare increase in less than one board meeting cycle.

Call me suspicious, but it's hard to believe that Metrolink didn't plan for this over several months, so the short notice virtually assures that the increase will be approved without significant public opposition.

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Metrolink Train Riders (metrolinktrainriders.com) is providing an on-line petition for passengers to protest the fare increase.

Richard Michael
for Metrolink Train Riders

Web Site: www.metrolinktrainriders.com/

[whitmanlam]

Is this fare increase to pay for added service and new train cars ?
Or just to pay for existing services ? The market for alternative transportation is hot, but it will never be hot enough to make a profit or even break even. It is a public service for all to benefit from.

[jeffe77]

richard said:

Metrolink Tries to Push Through Fare Increase on Unwary Passengers

It's curious how jeffe started this thread on March 30, when the only notice that Metrolink provided its passengers was on the morning of April 3.

Simple explanation: It was posted on the website in the 30th of March.

FYI: I'm a metrolink commuter on the IEOC line from Anaheim Canyon to Irvine. Soon it will be from Fullerton to Irvine