When the Metrolinx Board of Directors meets this Monday, January 9, they’ll consider a report from its staff recommending that GO Transit increase fares, starting Saturday, February 18.
According to the staff report, GO has not increased its fares since since March 2010, while more and more passengers continue to ride GO trains and buses. The increase in ridership let GO manage without increasing fares in 2011. However, its costs, such as the price of diesel fuel, continue to rise.
As part of the annual business plan process, Metrolinx management is recommending that GO Transit increase its one-ride fares, using a blended approach that supports fare by distance in the following amounts:
- increasing fares that are currently between $4.20 and $5.50 by 30 cents;
- increasing fares that are currently between $5.51 and $7 by 35 cents; and
- increasing fares that are currently greater than $7.01 by 40 cents.
Staff expect that increasing the fares will let GO continue to “grow” its ridership in 2012 and continue to achieve an “on-time performance” rate of 95 per cent (meaning how often trains arrive on schedule).
Raising fares will provide GO with about $1.6 million each month, starting in March or $19.5 million annually.
GO will use the extra funds to support the first full year of train service to and from Kitchener and Guelph. The extra revenue will also support more 12-car trains to reduce crowding, more trains on the 01 Lakeshore West and 09 Lakeshore East lines, one more train along either the 21 Milton or 71 Stouffville line and as much as four percent more bus service along certain key routes.
Staff are also recommending that GO not change the loyalty discount program for PRESTO card users at 17.5 percent over the course of a monthly period for adult customers and at the equivalent of 35 percent over the course of a monthly period for students. They suggest reducing discounts for paper monthly-pass users to 15 percent for adult passengers and and 30 percent for students, encouraging more passengers to switch to the PRESTO fare-card system. GO would not change any other discount programs.
The staff report recommending that the board approve raising GO fares is the only report on the public section of the board of directors agenda. You can read the staff report here. (.pdf) You can read the staff presentation here. (.pdf)
You can view the complete agenda here.
The board meeting starts at 2 p.m. Monday, January 9 in the Metrolinx Executive Boardroom, 6th Floor, 20 Bay Street, Toronto. However, the board first meets privately, then opens the public session at 3 p.m.
For example, GO would raise fares between Union Station and:
- Port Credit GO Station and all stations along the 01 Lakeshore West line east of Port Credit;
- Rouge Hill GO Station and all stations along the 09 Lakeshore East line west of Rouge Hill;
- Cooksville GO Station and all stations along the 21 Milton line east of Cooksville;
- Etobicoke North GO Station and all stations along the 31 Kitchener line southeast of Etobicoke North;
- all stations along the 61 Richmond Hill line;
- Maple GO Station and all stations along the 65 Barrie line south of Maple; and
- Agincourt GO Station and all station along the 71 Stouffville line southwest of Agincourt
by 30 cents.
GO would raise fares between Union Station and:
- Clarkson and Oakville GO Stations along the 01 Lakeshore West line;
- Pickering and Ajax GO Stations along the 09 Lakeshore East line;
- Erindale, Streetsville and Meadowvale GO Stations along the 21 Milton line;
- Malton, Bramalea and Brampton GO Stations along the 31 Kitchener line;
- King City and Aurora GO Stations along the 65 Barrie line; and
- Milliken, Unionville, Centennial, Markham and Mount Joy GO Stations along the 71 Stouffville line
by 35 cents.
GO would raise fares between Union Station and:
- Bronte, Appleby, Burlington, Aldershot and Hamilton GO Stations along the 01 Lakeshore West line;
- Whitby and Oshawa GO Stations along the 09 Lakeshore East line;
- Lisgar and Milton GO Stations along the 21 Milton line;
- Mount Pleasant, Georgetown, Guelph and Kitchener GO Stations along the 31 Kitchener line;
- Newmarket, East Gwillimbury, Bradford and Barrie South GO Stations along the 65 Barrie line;
- Stouffville and Lincolnville GO Stations along the 71 Stouffville line
by 40 cents.
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