Sep 3, 2008 5:53 pm US/Eastern
Dig Deeper To Ride The Dade Transit System
The county agreed to raise base fares from $1.50 to $2, effective Oct. 1.
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Trying to save the Miami-Dade County transit system without pricing passengers out of public transportation, commissioners voted 6 to 5 on Tuesday to increase fares 33 percent. They also voted 9-4 to raise the monthly parking rate at Metrorail stations from $6.25 to $10.
People with limited incomes will feel the financial hurt. Tina Sanchez is one of those, telling CBS4 Reporter Natalia Zea that it will be difficult to pay the increases. She remains at home caring for her two children, and relies on mass transit.
She uses the bus "to go to make doctor's appointments, or to go to the grocery store, or to see grandparents."
Commissioners voted realizing that it was either a fare increase or getting rid of 19 popular bus routes, routes like the #6 that goes through Little Havana, Brickell and the Grove.
"I live in Homestead," said transit rider Carlos Boscan, "and I usually have to drive the car all the way to Dadeland." He complained that there aren't enough routes as it is.
Meanwhile, as gasoline prices skyrocketed, countywide users went up three-percent from last year and park-and rides around town have been overflowing with customers.
The fare increase will help stop the transit department from cutting those bus routes, but the option is not completely off the table.
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez said, "It would be great to have a bus every two seconds on every street, but you can't afford that. "
The transit system will also close down five centers where people buy and renew their bus passes. The shuttles to Dolphin games will be curtailed, and officials say riders will no longer be able to pay with pennies.
County managers and transit agency administrators said the fare and parking fee hikes will raise between $18 million and $22 million next year.
Federal regulators have explained to the county that it needs to resolve its transit finances, a $9.4-billion hole over the next 30 years, in order to apply for matching funds to consider building new Metrorail lines including a new North Corridor.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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