Burlington Transit is increasing its fare, starting Wednesday, May 1. In a media release, the City of Burlington says that the higher fares “will lead to extended services for transit users across the city.”

Burlington city council approved the increase during its meeting of Monday, March 18, affecting all fares.

If you’re a student or an adult, you’ll have to toss an extra quarter into the farebox when you board Burlington Transit buses — the new cash fare is $3.25. For children, the fare hike is just fifteen cents, jumping to $1.90. If you expect to continue your ride on GO Transit trains or buses, you’ll pay another five cents — 70 cents, instead of 65.

The cost to ride with a PRESTO card for adults is $2.70, instead of $2.50. Seniors and students ride for $1.85, instead of $1.70. The new child fare fare for PRESTO users is $1.55, instead of $1.40.

If you buy monthly passes, you’ll also pay more — $95 for adults, $69 for students and $58.50 for seniors. Freedom Passes, which high school students use to ride the buses Mondays to Fridays after 4 p.m., weekends and holidays, cost $21.50, instead of $20.

You can see a list of the new fares here. (.pdf)

Burlington Transit is using the higher fares to support more service to passengers. Starting Monday, June 23, it’s improving its service by:

• increasing service along the 101 Plains express route between Downtown Hamilton and Burlington GO Station so that buses run all-day Monday-to-Friday. Buses will drop off or pick up passengers at stops every 15 minutes during rush hours and every 30 minutes at other times of the day. BT will also add more stops to the route at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Gorton Avenue, Howard Road and Francis Road.
• extending Saturday service until as late as 10:30 p.m. and adding service Sundays along the 11 Sutton and 15 Walkers routes.
• improving service to the northeast employment corrdior, by canceling the current 54D Burloak / North Service Road East dial-a-ride service and extending the path for buses operating along the 81 North Service route to serve passengers in this area of Burlington.