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Susan Ruttan, Edmonton Journal% b m# F( P$ W# V% V g
Published: Friday, March 30, 2007
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The cost of a monthly transit pass could jump by $15 if city council endorses a proposed new transit fare policy.) k) Q/ P" A: T
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That policy would use the cost of an adult transit ticket, currently $2.50, to set all other fares charged by Edmonton Transit.: ]7 _0 S& c* j1 l& o8 S$ s
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It would end the random system of fare increases being approved each year by city council. Council in December voted to raise the adult ticket by 25 cents, but left the $59 monthly adult pass untouched.
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1 @4 {# v- k' F/ A! c m( nIn the new formula, any increase in the adult cash fare would trigger increases in all other fares.
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It’s proposed that the adult monthly pass would cost 55 per cent of the cost of a cash fare, assuming an average transit rider takes 54 trips a month. That works out to $74, about the same price as a monthly pass in St. Albert, Strathcona County and Calgary.4 q e- T# w: t: j& W% G
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“Currently our cash fares and month passes are priced below comparable organizations,” said Patricia Waisman, director of business development for Edmonton Transit.
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0 Z m. }6 x4 Q2 |9 aThe new system of all fares being based on the basic fare would help to correct that, she said.9 Q' [8 z4 D; }6 l
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Waisman said the “multiplier” in the formula, the average 54 trips a month, varies from city to city. In Toronto the multiplier would be a bigger number, in Lethbridge a smaller number.1 _& P" G+ H( {! `
! h1 O9 j# y) h) h' Q7 t7 ]) AThe proposed change acts on a recommendation of the city auditor David Wiun.. H- S+ u* e% O# k+ H! |" ?/ {
3 v8 q" r3 z/ ^In a recent report, he said Edmonton’s transit passes and cash fares are 11 to 14 per cent below that of comparable cities. The result is that Edmonton taxpayers must pay a greater share of transit’s budget than in those other cities, he said. |
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