As more Americans ditch their cars in favor of mass transit, many find they're still affected by the pump, because the transit systems carrying them are feeling the pain of rising fuel costs.
People who thought they could avoid the gas squeeze are encountering fare hikes. Transit agencies face budget deficits and the choice of cutting service or increasing fares to balance their finances.
For example, the cost of diesel for Portland's TriMet has risen $1.69, up to $4 a gallon, in the last year. The system has announced a 25-cent fare hike for September to cover inflation and rising fuel prices. King County Metro Transit of Seattle saw a similar increase, with diesel climbing $1.26, up to $3.86 a gallon. The system predicts a $14 million deficit in 2008 and has proposed raising fares for a second time this year.
The United States is not alone in facing this. Transit officials in Chhattisgarh India and the long-distance buses in Bangladesh have approved fare hikes. A fare increase in Johannesburg, South Africa, sparked a protest that caused Metrobus to reroute some lines.
It won't be easy for some people to cope with the increased cost. TriMet will introduce a 14-day pass that offers the same savings as a monthly pass but doesn't require the passenger to come up with $65 to $76 at the beginning of the month.
But even after a fare hike was approved in Charlotte, some there predicted people won't grumble much. Transit rider James Kirkpatrick told WBT News, "It's still a better deal than trying to drive."
Photo: Kecko/Flickr.
