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Public hearings begin today for MBTA fare hike

E-mail|Link|Comments () August 10, 2009 11:31 AM

By Globe Staff

Bus, train, and trolley riders will get their say this afternoon at the first of 13 public hearings about a proposal by the MBTA to hike fares nearly 20 percent.

Legislators and riders opposed to the fare hike held preemptive press conferences today before the hearing, which will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Gardner Auditorium at the State House. The hearing comes days after a shakeup at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority left open the possibility that fare increases would not be implemented.

The proposed 19.5 percent fare hike includes a broad array of increases that would bring in an estimated $69 million a year and affect everyone who uses public transportation, from the suburban resident who takes commuter rail once a month to the city resident who depends on a monthly bus or subway pass for all local travel. A recent state analysis predicted that the MBTA would lose 5 percent of its riders if the fare hike is approved.

Those who use cash for a single bus or subway ride would be hit hardest, with fares rising by 50 cents to $2 and $2.50 respectively. Single rides with a Charlie Card would continue to cost less, going from $1.25 to $1.50 for a bus ride and from $1.70 to $2 for the subway.

Commuter rail fares, which are divided into numerous zones, would rise to as much as $280 per month, a $30 increase.

The price of a monthly Link Pass with access to bus and subway would rise from $59 to $69. Monthly passes for senior citizens and students would also go up, from $20 to $24.

A coalition against the fare increase includes the T Riders Union and other public transit advocates, which have scheduled a press conference today on the State House steps at 3 p.m.

"Public transit is a public good that benefits working people, the environment, and the economy," the group said in a press release. "It's time for a long-term solution - take the unfair burden of the T's Big Dig debt off the backs of riders."

For a full list of all 13 of the MBTA's public hearings, click here.