$2 Day Pass Will Replace OCTA Bus Transfers

The good news for Orange County’s bus riders: It still costs a buck to ride the bus.

The not-so-good news: Transfers will no longer be free; they will be replaced by a day pass to cost $2 on July 11 and $2.50 on Jan. 1.

The new fares, approved Monday, are the first hikes in the county in eight years. The restructuring also marks major changes in the way people will ride the bus: the introduction of an all-day pass, the elimination of variable fares for seniors and the disabled and a reduction in cost for students.

“We understand no one is excited or happy about any fare increase,” said Thomas Knox of the Orange County Transportation Authority. “But while they’re going up, we were able to give our riders a little buffer zone and a chance to get used to the new fares.”

Seniors and the disabled are the most dramatically affected by the changes--although not the way they first thought.

An initial proposal for new fares introduced in January asked for a quadrupling of the non-rush-hour fare for seniors and the disabled, a bid that sparked outrage.

“The first fares they talked about were out of sight, just out of sight,” said Stanton Mayor Harry Dotson, who chairs the Orange County Senior Citizens Advisory Committee. “But it ended up being less than we thought it would be. That’s great.”

The existence of more than $1 million in fare-stabilization funds for seniors--from the 1990 Measure M half-cent tax increase--was discovered after OCTA board members asked the agency’s staff to look into alternatives to a fare hike.

The funds allowed transit officials to reduce peak fares for seniors and the disabled as well as the cost of a monthly pass. About 85% of senior and disabled bus riders, however, ride the buses in off-peak hours to take advantage of the 15-cent fare. Under the new structure, a rate of 25 cents will apply all day.

Measure M funds will be available until 2011.

In addition, the board approved a reduction in the monthly pass for students. The pass will be distributed through the individual school systems. Students currently pay $33.50. The new fare of $25 a month will bring the agency in line with other area transportation systems, transit officials said.

A series of public meetings on the proposed changes were held over the last month, with speakers addressing everything from the fare hike for seniors to the difficulty the mentally ill have in qualifying for reduced fares.

Board members praised the process at Monday’s meeting, citing the staff’s responsiveness to public concerns.

“This work was the hardest task we have to do,” said transportation authority board member Laurann Cook. “We do influence individual lives when we raise prices, and every time you do that you have to take it very seriously.”

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Fare Change

Orange County’s new bus fares will begin July 11. Here’s how they will change:

Disabled/Senior

*--*

Current New 1-way full fare $0.45/.15* $0.25 Day pass None 0.50 Monthly 18.50 10.00

*--*

Regular

*--*

Current New 1-way full fare $1.00 $1.00 Day pass None 2.00** Monthly 37.50 37.50 Student monthly 33.50 25.00

*--*

* Peak/off-peak fares

** Increases to $2.50 in January

Note: Day passes will take the place of free transfers

Source: Orange County Transportation Authority