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VRE fares could increase 3 percent in July 2008 Date published: 12/22/2007
By KELLY HANNON Virginia Railway Express fares may increase 3 percent starting in July. The VRE Operations Board forwarded a $94 million budget containing a fare increase yesterday to the railway's two regional transportation commissions. Commuter rail fares increased 6 percent this year, and lesser amounts in previous three years. Dale Zehner, VRE's chief executive officer, opposed raising fares, given price increases in past years. He would like to see new passenger cars on line first, next October. "I just don't think this is the right time based upon the troubles we had last year with the poorer service and the on-time. I'd like to get stabilized," Zehner said. But ridership and on-time performance have rebounded. Fredericksburg Line trains arrived on schedule 88 percent of the time in November, the fourth consecutive month of on-time rates in the upper 80s. Ridership across the system has grown 4.1 percent since November 2006. Still, the railway's insurance, fuel and maintenance costs have increased from last year, Zehner said. A VRE budget task force recommended that the board increase fares 3 percent to raise an additional $650,000 in fiscal 2009, which runs from next July to June 2009. The board took the task force's recommendations. "Just as local jurisdictions here are being forced to put in more dollars, we should, I think, be also looking to riders, at a frankly small rate, to be doing the same," said VRE Operations Board member Dana Kauffman of Fairfax County. The VRE vote follows a contentious fare debate this fall at Metro, Washington's subway rail system. Metro fare during peak travel time is rising 30 cents in January, but Metro went without a fare increase for four years. To avoid unpredictable fare increases in future years, the VRE Operations Board voted to study how fare increases and decreases in the future could be linked to the rate of inflation, cost of living, or VRE's costs.
Date published: 12/22/2007
The whole thing is a white elephant that serves few but costs many. How many more taxpayers will be affected before VA wises up and either dumps it or make the riders pay full fares?
VRE seems to always be collecting more and more money without showing any improvements. With increased passengers, you would think that additional revenue would allow lower forced money request. FRED buses brings in more Spotsy riders and they do not help fund the rail. Richmond buses bring in more riders and what is their account to VRE? Stafford and City of Fredericksburg are getting shafted by the VRE subsidity calculations and need to stop accepting the VRE rants. Happy Holidays
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