Beach residents who use public transit may soon have to cope with some schedule changes and increased fares.
Facing a projected budget shortfall of $9.2 million, due to a drop in state sales tax revenues and other state funding, Metropolitan Transit System officials say they have to cover that big gap somehow.
The San Diego Association of Governments also must approve the proposed changes.
Consequently, the “local cash fare” will probably be raised from the current $1.75 to $2 by January 2008, and then up again to $2.25 by January 2009. Express bus fares are not scheduled to change at this time, nor are trolley fares.
In the beach area, buses expected to have fare increases are No. 48/49 in La Jolla, and No. 923, from Ocean Beach to the airport and downtown.
One of the most controversial proposed changes is elimination of transfers.
“The plan is to amend fares to abolish all transfers and replace them with $5 day passes,” said Dan Levy, senior transit planner for SANDAG.
That pass would allow a rider to travel all day on any route and in any direction. Currently, transfers are available for the asking when buying a ticket, and are used to transfer to another route going in the same direction as the original ticketed bus.
Monthly passes, too, will increase. The present $60 monthly pass will jump to $64 in 2008, and to $68 in 2009. Senior, Medicare and disabled passes rise less dramatically, from $15 to $16 in 2008 and $17 in 2009. Those passes are subsidized by Transnet.
Youth passes will rise from a current $30 to $32 in 2008, and to $34 in 2009.
While some passengers are complaining about the proposed increase in fares and elimination of transfers, MTS thinks it’s about time to implement both.
“Our fare structure hasn’t been modified since 2003,” said Luis Gonzalez, MTS media communications specialist. As for transfers, “We are one of the only transit agencies still with a transfer system in place,” he added.
Still, Gonzalez points out, the final decision is up to SANDAG.
As for schedule changes for beach area buses, he said, “We’re only modifying a couple of routes, not canceling them.”
Those modifications would include No. 8/9 that runs from Old Town to Mission Beach. The change would decrease frequency from the present every 20 minutes to a proposed every half hour during evening hours, for savings of about $124,000 per year.
For the No. 28 in Point Loma (runs to the Navy base and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery), a minibus shuttle would likely replace the current standard-size bus.
“We’re still working with the Navy base on options for changing the schedule,” said Gonzalez.
The final opportunity for the public to express opinions will be held on Thursday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m., at 1255 Imperial Avenue, 10th Floor (at the 12th/Imperial Transit Center).
Other options for providing input are the telephone hotline, (619) 595- 4912 (voicemail), or e-mail [email protected].