SEPTA cuts proposed fare hikes - slightly

With bus, subway, and train ridership starting to recover from the economic slump, SEPTA moved Thursday to reduce slightly some of the fare hikes it wanted to impose July 1.

Most of the reductions would be for rail commuters, who were hit hardest by the initial fare-hike proposals.

The changes would mean an average fare increase for rail riders of about 8 percent, down from the original proposal of more than 9 percent.

The proposed fare hike for bus and subway riders would remain about 6 percent.

The SEPTA board will vote on the increases Thursday. If approved, they will take effect July 1.

Rail-passenger advocates said the changes were too small and too narrowly focused.

"They didn't make the policy changes that a lot of people wanted, and as a result, a lot of riders are facing double fare increases," said Matthew Mitchell of the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers.

SEPTA's plan to eliminate off-peak train fares before 7 p.m. on weekdays, Mitchell said, means that many midday riders would have to pay peak fares as well as the fare increase.

Passengers now pay peak fares only on trains arriving at Center City stations before 9:30 a.m. and leaving Center City between 4 and 6:30 p.m.)

The revised fare proposal would price weekly and monthly rail passes and 10-trip ticket purchases slightly lower than originally proposed in March.

For instance, a weekly pass for a Zone 3 rail passenger would cost $42, up from the current $39, but down from the original proposal of $42.75. A monthly rail pass for Zone 3 would cost $155, up from the current $142.50, but $2 less than initially proposed.

SEPTA's proposal would still increase the cost of a bus or subway token to $1.55 from the current $1.45. The cost of a transfer would rise to $1 from the current 75 cents. The base cash fare, used by only about 13 percent of bus and subway riders, would remain $2.

The agency also wants to combine some rail zones.

At a board committee meeting Thursday on the proposed changes, SEPTA board member Tom Babcock of Delaware County questioned the wisdom of holding the line on the cash fare.

"It seems counterintuitive to keep the cash fare at $2 while we're trying to get people to use tokens or passes," he said. "Why not raise it to $3 to further reduce the number of people who use it?"

SEPTA chief financial officer Richard Burnfield said the latest fare proposals would cost SEPTA about $700,000 in lost revenue. But, he said, increasing ridership might make up for that.

Ridership was up 5.5 percent in April, compared with the same month in 2009, Burnfield said. SEPTA carried 26.7 million riders last month, compared to 25.3 million a year earlier.

The increase was greatest on buses, subways, and trolleys in Philadelphia. Smaller increases were tallied on suburban bus routes and Regional Rail lines.

The proposed fare increases and other changes are excessive, Mitchell of the rail passengers' group said.

He said the 33 percent increase in the cost of transfers was unfair and that some rail riders, faced with the elimination of off-peak tickets and the consolidation of rail zones, would see increases of about 30 percent.

"That's hitting people extremely hard," Mitchell said. "It will have an effect on ridership and on the choices people make to come into the city."

The passengers' group has urged SEPTA to hold most fare increases, including rail fares, to 6 percent, while boosting the cash fare to $2.25 and reducing the cost of transfers to 50 cents. The group also said SEPTA underestimated revenue by about $1 million, which Burnfield disputed.

The board's vote on the fare hikes is scheduled for 3 p.m. next Thursday at SEPTA headquarters at 1234 Market St. The agency's complete budget proposal for fiscal 2011, including the proposed fare and zone changes, is available at www.septa.org.