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May 22, 2008 6:49 pm US/Central
Ridership Up On Bus Lines; Higher Fares To Follow
(WCCO)
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Fuel prices for Southwest are up 75 percent and that is why the line is making changes in weekend and off peak service.
CBS
With
soaring gas prices, more people are seeking out mass transit.
Ridership
is up 25 percent over last year across our region. However, transit systems
said they are being hit so hard with fuel costs they are about to propose a
major fare hike.
In
Eden Prairie, there are people riding the bus who never thought they would.
"I'm
just taking the bus to save some money," said Krysta Schieck.
The
23-year-old said she can't afford to drive her truck to her job in Uptown. She
and thousands like her are the reason ridership on the Southwest Transit line
is up 22 percent over last year.
Fuel
prices for Southwest are up 75 percent and that is why the line is making changes
in weekend and off peak service and they are parking their buses during the day
at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds instead of driving them back to Eden
Prairie.
"We've worked out a contract arangement with the fairgrounds. That alone is going to save us about $130,000
a year, just on that alone," said Lem Simich of South West Metro Transit.
Gas
prices aren't the only cost concern for metro area bus lines. About 21 percent
of the sales tax on all cars sold in Minnesota goes to subsidize mass
transit These days car sales around the
state are down dramatically.
That
means bus lines across the metro got $15 million less than expected from car
sales taxes this year.
Late
next month, the Metropolitan Council will put forward a proposal to increase fares on all
area bus lines. It will probably go into effect in the fall.
Schieck
doesn't like that, but when it costs her $100 to fill up, she said a fare hike
doesn't sound that bad.
"I'll probably still try to take the bus," she
said.
The
fare hike will likely go into effect in October. The amount of the proposed
hike will be announced next month.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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