Roseville lawmaker calls for lowering transit fares to a quarter — two bits
Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, wants to cut transit fares to a quarter a ride statewide.
Marty expressed disappointment over the increase in transit fares tomorrow — 25 cents — arguing that it could wipe out the increase in ridership seen this year.
Suburban ridership is up close to eight percent, Marty says in a press release.
Additionally, though the fare increase is estimate to bring in about $7 million more a year, the Met Council still predicts a revenue shortage as much as $40 million, he notes.
Marty is proposing to increase state funding to transit. By increasing the number of bus routes and frequency of service, that in turn will boost bus ridership even more, he argues.
His proposal will cost money, Marty acknowledges.
But riders pay for about a fourth of transit system cost, so cutting fares will not have a crippling impact overall, he argues.
And with more riders on the buses, costs should drop because buses cost almost the same to operate whether one is carrying five passengers or 50.
His idea is the less expensive way to handle growing congestion and reduce air pollution, Marty opines.
“Anyone traveling during rush hour knows there are too many cars on the road,” Marty said.
“Imagine if we reversed the Met Council’s increase and moved in the opposite direction—with dramatically lower fares—just a flat 25 cents per ride. Lower fares provide a strong incentive for people to leave their cars at home,” he said.
“That’s good for the environment. And with less congestion, it’s not just bus passengers who benefit, but every driver on the road,” said Marty.
