Metro Considers Small Fare Changes for FY15 Budget
Metro is considering a small fare increase and no changes to the fare structure for the FY15 Budget.
Every autumn, Metro staff begins the process of developing the budget for the next fiscal year, which starts on July 1 of the following calendar year. Every other year, per Metro Board resolution, the budget proposal can contain a fare increase intended to match the fares to the changes in the consumer price index (CPI).
Comparison of SEPTA heavy rail and commuter rail fares and distances to Metrorail’s Orange Line, credit Matt Johnson via Greater Greater Washington. Click image for original context.
More than three years ago, Metro developed a new ridership and revenue model that allowed us to better evaluate the ridership and revenue impacts of potential changes to our fare structure. Staff used this model to evaluate concepts that could be incorporated into the FY13 budget to increase the alignment between fares and our fare policy principles.
At that time, Metro got a lot of input from the Greater Greater Washington community, as they discussed many aspects of Metro fares as compared to other system fare structures, including:
- Switching to a zone-based fare system
- Switching to a flat-fare system
- Metro subsidy vs farebox recovery
- Increased transfer discount
- Making Metrorail fares easier for occasional riders
- Making rail passes more useful to riders
This discussion of fare concepts brought Metro to the conclusion that our fare structure — while complicated for infrequent users — is equitable and shouldn’t be significantly altered. Instead, the FY13 budget proposal incorporated only small changes to the rail and bus fare structures.
Metro is currently reviewing options for the FY15 (July 2014 to June 2015) budget, including a possible fare increase. This time around, Metro staff is working to move relatively quickly on a small and simple fare increase that would raise additional revenue for better, safer and more service, without significant changes to the fare structure.
In FY17, there will be another opportunity to change fares on Metrorail and Metrobus. What fare concepts should we consider next time around? How might changes to our services, such as the Silver Line or new MetroExtra services, necessitate changes to fares?
Zones is good and all but we need Rush hour fare based on IN/Out Bound.
AM Rush hour fare going Inbound
PM Rush hour going Outbound.