Laguna Beach : One-Way City Bus Fare to Be Hiked to 50 Cents

One-way fares on Laguna Beach’s city bus service will go up next month as the result of a City Council vote to raise the price of a ticket from 40 cents to 50 cents. The new fare, effective July 1, is the first increase since 1982.

The dime fare hike was needed to offset a financial dilemma brought on by a combination of dwindling ridership and increased operating costs, said Terry Brandt, director of municipal services.

Although the city bus line is not facing a deficit, Brandt said revenues have dipped by more than 17% over the last three years.

Operating four 23-passenger vehicles, Laguna Beach has had its own transit line since the early 1970s, when it acquired the second-hand buses from a private transit company, Brandt said. In addition to servicing routes within the city limits, the buses make stops in South Laguna.

Also approved by the council was a proposal by the Parking, Traffic and Circulation Committee to charge motorists 50 cents an hour to park in the city’s downtown parking structure on Glenneyre Street, due to be completed next month.

Additionally, the council approved a requests by the committee to earmark $3,000 during the upcoming year to study alternatives to putting meters in the 218-car structure and to hire a consultant to help seek solutions to downtown parking congestion.