Metrolink Board OKs Fare Increase
Metrolink’s board of directors on Friday approved a 4% fare increase, effective July 1.
The commuter rail agency -- which serves Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties -- has not had a price hike since 2002, when fares rose by 5%. The new increase, which is expected to bring $1.8 million in additional revenue, is intended to offset the agency’s rising costs, officials said.
Historically, Metrolink has not seen any measurable drop in ridership after a fare increase, according to a staff report.
About 38,000 passengers ride Metrolink trains on an average weekday, or 7% more than the year before, said Sharon Gavin, spokeswoman for the agency.
Starting in July 2005, the agency also plans to phase out, during a 10-year period, its zone-based fare system in favor of a pricing scheme that better reflects the distance that a rider travels. Under the zone-based system, passengers on different lines traveling the same distance sometimes are charged different fares.
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