 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Susan Ruttan, Edmonton Journal
# c$ t9 R* G* b. N4 S* p1 DPublished: Friday, March 30, 2007
' H9 H6 D) b) |& T
; {$ f+ `% B% Y6 b: m( iThe cost of a monthly transit pass could jump by $15 if city council endorses a proposed new transit fare policy.$ T/ c x: [* `- w7 O# z8 x6 h7 N4 X' O
- d$ `1 k9 n* T n4 I# FThat policy would use the cost of an adult transit ticket, currently $2.50, to set all other fares charged by Edmonton Transit.9 n$ T b: f8 _7 T( e
: n, x0 _$ }" S# d* O! q
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 $59 monthly adult pass untouched.
" U; R3 U5 M$ f1 t3 h9 |2 H, f' l4 N2 |7 _3 T4 ?% z+ f' B' K0 U
In the new formula, any increase in the adult cash fare would trigger increases in all other fares.
) ]% {% _" |& X( y9 {8 e& s7 V1 [7 h* D% m! U' n' p; @; V! R
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 $74, about the same price as a monthly pass in St. Albert, Strathcona County and Calgary.
! e$ s- O b# I% a$ M' G! l3 R4 D. {5 w$ l! W6 f
“Currently our cash fares and month passes are priced below comparable organizations,” said Patricia Waisman, director of business development for Edmonton Transit.
: Y) s. t/ T( P8 G- T. r5 L7 N& K) |: O& |" ~
The new system of all fares being based on the basic fare would help to correct that, she said.
' p% ^' n# `8 A- H. {
( b/ M x3 V* l, _# ]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." H! m* F0 J3 P0 [# ^
1 j9 P; j9 L! L- \: ^
The proposed change acts on a recommendation of the city auditor David Wiun.
6 T) I) }! \$ r8 F
$ t( a% f. B" x0 HIn 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. |
|