Rail rates rising?
Fare increases could be on horizon for VRE commuters
Date published: 1/14/2006
By KELLY HANNON
Virginia Railway Express riders could pay more for their daily commute beginning in July.
VRE's $62.8 million budget proposal for fiscal 2007 includes a 6 percent increase in ticket prices. It also asks for an extra $1.9 million in subsidies from member communities, including Stafford County and Fredericksburg.
Both requests could cause waves. Ticket-price increases last year drew angry passengers to public hearings, and Stafford protested its higher subsidy.
Steve Dunham, chairman of the Virginia Association of Railway Patrons, would like to see the participating localities chip in a greater percentage of funding to run the commuter train.
Higher fares probably will generate complaints, he said, but he doesn't expect them to chase off too many riders.
"Traffic is bad enough and driving is expensive enough I think that VRE will have no trouble filling the trains," Dunham said.
Elected officials in Stafford were angry last year that Spotsylvania County, where a substantial number of riders live, pays nothing to the service.
But Spotsylvania has begun talks to potentially join. If it does, fare and subsidy hikes could be lower in the future because they'd be spread out across a larger pool of members.
VRE's budget proposal is an opening salvo to months of debate between VRE, localities, two transportation commissions and the public over fares and fees.
The fiscal year begins July 1. A final budget is typically passed in May, said Mark Roeber, VRE spokesman. Public hearings must be held before any fare increase.
"It's a matter of what type of response we get back and what we hear from the jurisdictions," Roeber said.
Sometimes, localities are willing to take on more of a financial burden to limit ticket price increases. Other years, localities want passengers to shoulder the costs.
VRE included a fare increase in its budget to keep pace with its expenses, which rose $5 million last year--a 14 percent jump.
Diesel fuel prices remain high, and VRE's insurance costs are rising, Roeber said. At the same time, Amtrak, CSX and Norfolk Southern are charging VRE 4 percent more to access the rails next year.
Date published: 1/14/2006
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