Fairfax Connector Fare Increase

[Tristan]

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation proposed in this       morning's Board of Supervisors' Meeting an increase in bus fares and the       elimination of paper transfers for Fairfax Connector bus service. If       approved, the fare changes would take effect on January 4, 2009. The last       fare increase for Fairfax Connector occurred in 2004.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/proposed_fare_increase_2009.htm

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/proposed_fare_chart.htm

[79MetroExtraMD]

It was only a matter of time before this was going to happen. I think every agency should be up to the same standard fare system as to have uniformity all around. Of course this won't go over to well with people, but it was bound to happen sooner or later.

[Tristan]

I don't see why people should have to pay more for the sake of conformity.  If someone wants to pay us $1.35 because Metro charges them that, our box will accept the extra dime but we're not going to jack our fare up for that reason.

[79MetroExtraMD]

Better than having to remember different fare stages and such. Meh, as long as you have Smartrip, you're pretty much in good shape.

[Tristan]

Again, no it isn't.  Our operating costs are lower than WMATA's, so should we charge the same thing they do?

[MetroLinerXLZ]

I don't see why Fairfax Connector needs the money. True diesel prices are the same as crack rocks right now, but at the same time, it seems like they're gonna waste whatever surplus comes out of it (should one come about).

Good thing is, DASH is the only transit in the D.C. Metro that hasn't even thought of a fare increase in the past 4 years. Hopefully, Tristan won't ask for a pay raise anytime soon (HAHAH, J/K)!!

[Perry]

If the County is having decreasing tax revenues from both sales tax and gasoline tax, then the only way to make up for a budget shortfall is to cut service or raise fares, or both.  Everyone needs to stop blaming the price of fuel as the only reason why this is happening.  It's compounded by many dfferent factors, one being fuel, but there are other increases in costs (contract and internal) and decreases in sources of revenue (fares make up a small percentage no matter what the increase in ridership is)

[MetroLinerXLZ]

If the County is having decreasing tax revenues from both sales tax and gasoline tax, then the only way to make up for a budget shortfall is to cut service or raise fares, or both.  Everyone needs to stop blaming the price of fuel as the only reason why this is happening.  It's compounded by many dfferent factors, one being fuel, but there are other increases in costs (contract and internal) and decreases in sources of revenue (fares make up a small percentage no matter what the increase in ridership is)

No one is saying that it is the only reason. However, I will say that is THE BIGGEST reason. Nowadays, it costs more to fill up the tank than to pay your workers. Though yes, employees are going to ask for a pay raise to make up for increased cost-of-living adjustments, and, just like every business, parts/supplies are needed to keep the buses running in good order, the price of diesel fuel is rising faster than the costs of both parts and labor (not combined, but given how it is, it may become that high).

A perfect example of this would be to look at how much trucking companies pay for diesel fuel to fill up their trucks-per truck, per month.

(OFF TOPIC)
To be honest, if GEE Dubya and this War in Iraq B.S. never came to be, the price of fuel would be a non-issue.

[79MetroExtraMD]

Good thing is, DASH is the only transit in the D.C. Metro that hasn't even thought of a fare increase in the past 4 years. Hopefully, Tristan won't ask for a pay raise anytime soon (HAHAH, J/K)!!

Well,, they did institute the rush hour fares a couple of months back IIRC.

[Perry]

I would say falling tax revenues from both fuel and sales tax, plus the end of people buying housing, which means less property taxes is still more than fuel.  That's what our problem has been in Nevada which is why we're needing to raise fares too.  If we hang our hats on the high fuel costs with the price of fuel dropping, that's suicide.  We have a lot of increases in costs outside of fuel, our contractor rates went up, our sales taxes are down, the fuel tax is down.  It is what it is.

If this fare increase doesn't go through for us, we have outlined what we would need to do to cut 18% of service and it ain't pretty.

[Tristan]

PG hasn't either but is looking for it.  We have to cut about $250,000 from our budget somehow, maybe more, because of city budget constraints.