Students, seniors hit by YRT hike
A proposed transit fare hike in York Region will hit seniors, students and children the hardest, some regional councillors warned.
However, despite efforts to “soften the blow”, the region’s transportation services committee yesterday OK’d the plan to increase fares effective Jan. 1, 2013.
“We are stuck between a rock and a hard spot,” said Richmond Hill Regional Councillor Vito Spatafora.
Overall, the adult cash fare will increase by 25 cents, from $3.50 to $3.75, and tickets from $2.80 to $3.
A student pass will go from $85 to $95, senior/child pass from $50 to $59 and adult pass from $115 to $125.
While the average increase is about 7 per cent across the board, the proposed student and senior pricing will jump as much as 18 per cent.
Richard Leary, general manager of York Region Transit, said that’s because these categories have been kept close to or at a 0-per-cent increase for many years.
The fares remain in line with the GTA average, he said, adding YRT is still recovering ridership after a three-month strike that ended in January.
The proposed hike is estimated to up the cost-recovery ratio to 39 per cent next year from this year’s 36 per cent.
With 60 per cent of the rides being subsidized by taxpayers, York Region chairperson and CEO Bill Fisch said the proposed hike is about long-term gain.
“No one has had a 12-per-cent increase in their salaries, but that’s not what this is about,” Mr. Fisch said. “All this costs money. It’s not free.”
Georgina Mayor Robert Grossi unsuccessfully tried to broker a deal at the meeting by taking $5 off each of the proposed fares for adult, student and senior/child passes.
The reduction would have meant a $350,000 loss in the projected $3-million revenue.
“It’s a softer blow,” he said.
YRT/Viva fare revenue has risen steadily for the past five years to $51.5 million in 2011 from $41.3 million in 2007.
It’s the first transit agency to announce a fare change for 2013 due to the timing of the approval process.
Regional council will have a final vote on the proposed fare hike Sept. 20.