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Transit wants to hike bus fares in January

By: Bartley Kives

Posted: 11/2/2011 1:58 PM | Comments: 0 (including replies) | Last Modified: 11/2/2011 9:37 PM | Updates

Bus fares are about to go up. (MIKE APORIUS/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES)

Bus fare is on the rise. Again.

Winnipeg Transit is asking council to approve a five-cent fare hike effective Jan. 1 due to rising gas prices, more expensive buses and inflation.

That would bring the regular adult cash fare to $2.45 from $2.40. Seniors and youths will pay $1.95. Bus tickets and passes will increase as well.

The city says every cent that gas prices rise costs the department $160,000. As well, a commitment to invest in 30 new buses a year is costing more.

Winnipeg Transit does not have to ask council approval for fare hikes below the rate of inflation. In 2010 and 2011, fare hikes were approved by the city’s chief financial officer.

Officials are asking council to approve the 2012 hikes because the proposed list of fares for next year will constitute increases of 2.1 to 2.9 per cent, which is expected to be above the rate of inflation.

Bus fares account for just under 50 per cent of Transit’s revenues. A city subsidy and provincial subsidy together worth about $43 million last year cover the rest.

Council’s infrastructure renewal and public works committee will vote on the fare hike Friday.

Proposed fares

The following is a list of Winnipeg Transit fares proposed for 2012, with the current fares in parentheses:

CASH

Cash full fares: $2.45 ($2.40)

Cash senior and reduced fares: $1.95 ($1.90)

TICKETS

Full-fare tickets: $2.15 ($2.10)

Reduced-fare tickets: $1.46 ($1.43)

Senior tickets: $1.08 (1.05)

PASSES

Full-fare weekday passes: $19 ($18.60)

Full-fare SuperPasses: $21.50 ($21)

Full-fare monthly passes: $77 ($75.35)

Post-secondary monthly passes: $61.60 ($60.10)

Reduced-fare SuperPasses: $14.60 ($14.30)

Senior SuperPasses: $10.75 ($10.50)

Reduced-fare monthly passes: $52.10 ($51)

Senior monthly passes: $38.50 ($37.70)

-- with file from Mary Agnes Welch

History

Updated on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 2:29 PM CDT: Adds details on new fares

3:40 PM: Corrects that fares account for just under 50 per cent of Transit's revenues, not 70 per cent

9:37 PM: Corrects current cost for post-secondary pass

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