Transit Fares to Rise in P.V. Estates

The Palos Verdes Estates City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to continue participating in PV Transit until Jan. 31 and to increase fares for residents who use the dial-a-van service.

Beginning July 1, Palos Verdes Estates subscription passengers and occasional users will pay $3.50 for a one-way ride. The fare for riders from Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates and the unincorporated area of the Palos Verdes Peninsula will remain unchanged--$1.50 for rides during rush hours and $1 at other times.

Last month, the council said it would not support continued participation in the service unless changes were made to increase the number of occasional riders and reduce the amount the city pays to subsidize fares.

By increasing the fare, Palos Verdes Estates will reduce the amount of Proposition A funds it would spend on the fiscal year 1988-89 program from $180,000 per year to $30,000 for a half year.

The council will review the program at its Dec. 12 meeting to determine the amount of use.

Palos Verdes Estates residents can continue to purchase subscription fares, but the council agreed to increase the amount of time for which subscriptions can be purchased from one to six months. The council hopes the increase will ease scheduling for occasional riders, who in the past have often been locked out of the service by subscription riders who monopolize it, mostly to transport children to and from school.

PV Transit Director Marta Espantman told the council that advance knowledge of the number of subscription riders will allow PV Transit to “plan ahead.”

“It’s not very hard to go to the contractor and say we need a van here and a van there,” Espantman said. “Then the rest of the vans can be dedicated to the non-subscriber.”

Espantman said PV Transit will begin accepting subscriptions for transportation to summer school on June 5.