Metra Raises Fares
Ben Harley
Issue date: 11/17/09 Section: Opinion
Friday, November 13 Metra announced that it will be raising the rates for train tickets. The measure will take effect February 1, 2010. According to the Associated Press one way ticket prices will be going up 6 percent, weekend passes will go up two dollars and the penalty fee for buying your ticket on the train will raise from $2 to $3. According to Metra Chairwoman Carole Doris the prices for 10-ticket rides and monthly passes will not go up.
In short, there is no dilemma here for any passengers - from the regular commuter to the occasional rider. The monthly passes give unlimited rides for a month, and according to Doris are used by most commuters. The 10-ticket rides give a miniscual discount to its purchasers, and are good for an entire year. There is no reason for anyone to complain about Metra raising its costs, because the only people it will affect are those who hardly ever use the service, or those who need to use it in a hurry, after the ticket booths have closed.
If you look at Metra's amassing budget problems, this hike in ticket prices is a fair solution to save the railway.
Metra's Program and Budget book says the company has lost about 8 million riders in the last year. Metra attributes this decrease to the collapsing job market, since 90 percent of its users travel the railway for business purposes. According to Doris Metra's expenses have grown due to the cost of diesel fuel and healthcare among other factors. If people want to the Metra now, they are going to have to pay more. There is no other way to save the company during these rough economic times.
And Metra is doing all that it can internally to reduce its costs. The company has already frozen wages on its non-union staff and increased employee shares in its healthcare plan.
These steps give me confidence as a Metra rider. I know that the company is doing all that it can to stay alive without reducing its services.
My experiences with Metra have always been positive. The trains are punctual, fast, efficient, and easy. The Metra is the safest, most eco-friendly way to get to Chicago from the suburbs - I will continue to ride. I will continue to support them, because I feel like they provide a necessary and well run service to the community.
Raising the fare for the least common types of tickets is not price gouging. It is staying alive in a tough market.
In short, there is no dilemma here for any passengers - from the regular commuter to the occasional rider. The monthly passes give unlimited rides for a month, and according to Doris are used by most commuters. The 10-ticket rides give a miniscual discount to its purchasers, and are good for an entire year. There is no reason for anyone to complain about Metra raising its costs, because the only people it will affect are those who hardly ever use the service, or those who need to use it in a hurry, after the ticket booths have closed.
If you look at Metra's amassing budget problems, this hike in ticket prices is a fair solution to save the railway.
Metra's Program and Budget book says the company has lost about 8 million riders in the last year. Metra attributes this decrease to the collapsing job market, since 90 percent of its users travel the railway for business purposes. According to Doris Metra's expenses have grown due to the cost of diesel fuel and healthcare among other factors. If people want to the Metra now, they are going to have to pay more. There is no other way to save the company during these rough economic times.
And Metra is doing all that it can internally to reduce its costs. The company has already frozen wages on its non-union staff and increased employee shares in its healthcare plan.
These steps give me confidence as a Metra rider. I know that the company is doing all that it can to stay alive without reducing its services.
My experiences with Metra have always been positive. The trains are punctual, fast, efficient, and easy. The Metra is the safest, most eco-friendly way to get to Chicago from the suburbs - I will continue to ride. I will continue to support them, because I feel like they provide a necessary and well run service to the community.
Raising the fare for the least common types of tickets is not price gouging. It is staying alive in a tough market.
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