Bus fare increases being proposed

The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission is anticipating a $1.6 million shortfall in its 2009 budget due to skyrocketing diesel fuel prices and a surge in ridership. The firm, which has added eight commuter bus trips since May, has initiated public hearings on potential fare increases to address the problem.

PRTC's commuter bus services had an average daily ridership of more than 8,000 passengers during April, May and June — the first time such a mark has been sustained for consecutive months. Ridership on the OmniRide and Metro-Direct commuter bus routes increased by 17.3 percent, and ridership on PRTC's OmniLink and Cross County Connector local bus services has jumped by 21.4 percent since February.    

Overall, PRTC made more than 2.8 million passenger trips in fiscal year 2008 — a 6.2 percent increase over the 2.7 million passenger trips made in FY 2007.

Though ridership is up the increase in revenue has not been enough to offset fuel costs and escalating service costs, according to PRTC’ Executive Director Alfred Harf.

As a result, the PRTC Board of Commissioners recently approved a public review process to consider a fare increase, a fare indexing policy, supplemental appropriations to the PRTC budget and other budget adjustments such as reducing non-essential expenses and tapping into higher-than-anticipated state assistance.

Under the proposed fare increase, PRTC would retain reduced fares for those 60 and older, the disabled and those with a valid Medicare card. The reduced fare rate would continue to be no more than half the standard fare.

Following the six public comment hearings in September, PRTC will review the comments and finalize a proposal for the PRTC Board of Commissioners to consider at its Oct. 2 meeting. A fare increase, if approved, would not take place before November 2008.

dsherfinski@dcexaminer.com