Authorities in the region had a rough week taking heat for toll increases and bridge design changes. But here’s a stunner from our neighbor to the east: Rochester’s transit agency is lowering its fare. The Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority has voted to cut the bus fare from $1.25 to $1, the lowest level since 1991.
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle has the story:
In an era of rising gasoline prices, the authority will be able to reduce the fares from $1.25 because of greater state aid, operating efficiencies and financial support from the authorities’ partners, said Mark Aesch, chief executive officer of RGRTA.
Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s proposed budget cut state aid to RGRTA by $3 million, but the money was restored and $1 million was added in the 2008-09 adopted budget.
The authority has built up a $19 million surplus over the last four years, rebounding from a $27.5 million deficit.
“We decided we would provide a public sector service with a private sector mindset,” Aesch said.
The authority is hoping the lower fares will attract more riders. Ridership for the Regional Transit Service, RGRTA’s largest subsidiary, is up 7 percent in the past year while national ridership increased 2 percent, according to the authority.
The American Public Transit Association reports public transportation use is up 32 percent since 1995, a figure that is more than double the growth rate of the population (15 percent) and up substantially over the growth rate for the vehicle miles traveled on our nation’s highways (24 percent) for that same period.
RGRTA was formed along with the NFTA in 1969. RGRTA oversees public transportation in Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Wayne, Wyoming and Seneca counties. NFTA ridership of 25.7 million trips in 2007 was up 8.6 percent over 2006. RGRTA trips totaled 14.9 million last year, an increase of 7 percent.
HT RaChaCha for the story. Photo by Eluwak.