Jan 4, 2009 8:05 am US/Pacific
Fare Increases In O.C. Lead Bus Riders To Pay More
ORANGE, Calif.
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An increase to the regular fare to travel on Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) buses will go into effect Sunday.
CBS
An increase to the regular fare to travel on Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) buses will go into effect Sunday.
The 25-cent hike, which raises the face to $1.50, is said to be the second increase in 18 years.
According to Joel Zlotnik of the OCTA, the fare is still 82-cents below the $2.32 average bus fare in metropolitan areas.
Other increases will include day passes, which are now $4; $1.25 for a senior day pass; $20 for 7-day pass; 60-cents for senior citizens.
Since 2005, the OCTA has experienced a 185 percent increase in fuel costs despite recent drops in gas prices. According to Supervisor Chris Norby, chair of the OCTA Board of Trustees, there is an $18 million dollar shortfall in OCTA's operating budget this year.
Norby said that amount could exceed to $30 million as the state attempts to close a multi-billion dollar budget gap and the Orange County economy continues a downward trend.
In order to receive state funding, OCTA is required to implement a "fare-box minimum," which is 20-cents in fare for every dollar spent on bus service. Norby said that OCTA is in jeopardy of falling below this mark without fare increases.
Commuters in Orange County can save an average of nearly $650 a month by using the bus system, according to an analysis from the American Public Transportation Association.
Last year, OCTA buses carried more than 67 million passengers and served at 6,500 stops on 80 routes. It is considered the nation's 12th busiest transit system.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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