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WMATA "Austerity" Budget Fare hike; fewer trains eff. 6/25/17


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#11 CNJRoss

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Posted 23 February 2017 - 04:47 PM

WTOP radio, 2/23:
 

Metro Board likely to OK fare hikes, service cuts

 

 

WASHINGTON — Facing a $125 million revenue shortfall, Metro Board members believe fare hikes are likely even if the details remain unclear.

 

“I think it’s inevitable that at some point during FY18, Metro rail fares will go up,” Finance Committee Chair Michael Goldman said. He said bus fares would rise too, although he is still pushing for some type of discount for low-income bus riders.

 

The Board expects to reach an agreement on service cuts and fare hikes for rail and bus service by late March. No changes would take affect until at least July, when the new budget year begins.

 

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#12 CNJRoss

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Posted 23 March 2017 - 09:11 AM

WTOP radio, 3/23:
 

Metro Board set to approve reduced service, increased fares

 

WASHINGTON — Fare hikes and service cuts are set to get final approval Thursday from the Metro Board.

 

The full board is also expected to approve moving forward with a one-year capital funding agreement among local jurisdictions and a longer-term capital improvement plan that projects a sharp increase in local contributions beginning next year.

 

Combined, it is the first time local jurisdictions will promise $1 billion for the Metro system’s operating and capital budgets in a single fiscal year.

 

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#13 CNJRoss

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Posted 23 March 2017 - 12:43 PM

The Washington Post, 3/23:
 

Metro makes it official: higher fares, reduced service coming July 1

 

 

Metro’s board gave final approval Thursday to a series of fare hikes and service cuts as part of an austere fiscal 2018 budget aimed at easing the transit agency’s financial struggles.

 

Beginning July 1, peak-period rail fares will increase 10 cents, with $2.25 as the new minimum and $6 as the maximum one-way fare. Off-peak fares will increase a quarter; bus fares also will increase 25 cents, to $2.

 

Riders also will wait longer for trains, with trains arriving about eight minutes across most of the system, with higher frequencies in the downtown core. But there will be fewer trains overall on five of six lines.

 

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#14 CNJRoss

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Posted 23 March 2017 - 01:10 PM

WTOP radio, 3/23:
 

It’s official: Metro raising fares, cutting service

 

 

WASHINGTON — Metro fares will rise this summer as hours are cut and rush-hour train schedules are reduced.

 

The Metro Board gave final approval Thursday to a budget that raises rush-hour rail fares and weekday parking fees by a dime, off-peak rail fares by a quarter,  .  .  .   when the changes take effect around July 1.

 

SNIP

 

This is just the start

 

Major, underlying issues have still not been addressed, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld told the board Thursday in a much stronger call for action than he has been willing to issue before.

 

“There are two priorities the region must tackle this year — long-term capital funding needed to maintain safe and reliable service and Metro’s unsustainable cost model,” Wiedefeld said.

 

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#15 CNJRoss

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Posted 24 March 2017 - 06:23 PM

WTOP radio, 3/24:
 

Riders, workers bemoan Metro fare hikes, service cuts

 

 

WASHINGTON – Riders, workers and Metro leaders are reacting after the Metro Board voted Thursday to raise fares this summer for the first time in three years while cutting rush-hour schedules and service hours.

 

“We’re the ones who use it, so it’s like, without us, how are you all making money? The train’s just going to operate by itself with no people on the train?” said Chauniece Jones, who wore a shirt to the Metro Board meeting that read: “Vote no fare hikes. Metro not boomin.”

 

“I can’t afford to get a car right now. So it’s just like, I have to take Metro, and they don’t care about that,” she said. “That’s the problem. They care more so about the money than they care about us.”

 

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#16 CNJRoss

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Posted 12 May 2017 - 02:13 PM

WTOP radio, 5/12/17:

 
New Metro hours to start June 25 along with fare hikes, service cuts

 


WASHINGTON — Metro’s fare increases and service cuts will start June 25, the transit agency announced Friday.
 

In March, the Metro Board of Directors approved a 25-cent fare increase for most bus trips and off-peak rail trips and a 10-cent increase for rush hour rail trips, to go along with already-approved cuts to rail service hours.

 

The vote also included reducing scheduled rush-hour rail service to every eight minutes at end-of-line stations from the every six minutes trains are scheduled today.

 

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#17 CNJRoss

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Posted 12 May 2017 - 02:31 PM

WMATA news release 5/12/17:

 

Metro announces June 25 effective date for new hours, fares, schedules

 

 

 

Metro today announced that changes to fares, schedules and rail system hours will take effect Sunday, June 25, 2017. The changes, approved by the Board of Directors earlier this year, are part of an effort to rightsize service, close a budget gap and provide needed time for new categories of preventive maintenance to improve safety and reliability.

 

Among the changes taking effect, most fares on Metrobus and Metrorail will increase between 10-25 cents; some low-ridership bus routes will be discontinued; trains will arrive slightly less frequently during rush hour; and Metrorail system hours will be adjusted to provide an additional eight hours of track access weekly to improve safety and service reliability.

 

To ensure customers are prepared for the changes, Metro will conduct extensive outreach in the weeks leading up to the June 25 change day, including signage aboard vehicles, at rail stations and key bus stops, MetroAlerts email and text messages, social media, and handouts distributed to customers at high-traffic locations. Information can also be found at wmata.com/changes.

 

New Metrorail Hours of Operation

 

Monday - Thursday 5:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Friday 5:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.

Saturday 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.

Sunday 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

 

Some Metrobus routes will add trips to provide service in key corridors that no longer have late night or early weekend rail service.

Fare Changes

 

For Metrorail customers, most fares will increase by 10-25 cents. A new one-day unlimited rail/bus pass will be available for $14.75, while the monthly SelectPass will continue to be the best value option for regular rail customers.

Regular Metrobus fares will rise to $2, a 25 cent increase from $1.75 and still among the lowest bus fare nationally. In response to concerns from riders, Metro will keep its unlimited, seven-day bus pass priced at $17.50 to allow frequent bus riders to avoid the quarter-per-trip increase.

Express bus fares will increase from $4 today to $4.25, and Airport buses (Routes 5A and B30) will increase from $7.00 to $7.50.

MetroAccess fares will continue to be calculated at two times the fastest comparable fixed-route rate, with the maximum charge of $6.50 remaining the same. Daily parking rates will change at all Metro-operated facilities.
 

Rail Service Changes

During weekday rush periods, rail service will operate as follows:

  • Trains will depart endpoints every 8 minutes on each line.
  • At stations served by more than one line, trains will arrive every 3-4 minutes.
  • Additional Red Line service will run between Grosvenor and Silver Spring, resulting in trains arriving every 4 minutes between those stations.
  • Service will become more frequent for Blue Line riders, where trains are now scheduled every 12 minutes.

In addition, Yellow Rush+ will be eliminated. All Yellow Line trains will run between Huntington and Mt Vernon Sq during weekday rush periods, and between Huntington and Fort Totten at other times.

No changes are being made to off-peak service.
 

Bus Service Changes

(Deleted as "Non-Rail" information; click here if interested.)

 

 



#18 CNJRoss

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Posted 09 June 2017 - 03:52 PM

WTOP radio, 6/9/17:
 

Will Metro rides get better June 26?

 

 

WASHINGTON — As Metro cuts scheduled service, raises fares, and somewhat dials back round-the-clock track work June 25, Metro leaders say the odds of trains arriving on schedule should go up.

 

“The on-time performance, I think some of that had to do with the existing schedules, so it wasn’t just all related to the delays; it was a combination of a lot of things,” Metro Chief Operating Officer Joe Leader said Thursday.

 

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#19 CNJRoss

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Posted 22 June 2017 - 06:53 AM

WTOP Radio, 6/22/17:
 

7 things to know about the upcoming Metro fare hikes

 

 

WASHINGTON — Metro is raising fares Sunday for bus, rail and some paratransit riders.

 

Other local bus systems — such as the Fairfax Connector and Montgomery County’s Ride On, which generally keep fares in line with Metro — are mirroring the fare increases.

 

Here are seven things Metro riders need to know about the changes: 

 

SNIP 

 

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#20 CNJRoss

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Posted 24 June 2017 - 01:19 PM

WMATA news release 6/24/17:

Metro prepares for changes to hours, schedules and fares this weekend

 

Metro fares, bus schedules, rail system hours, and the frequency of rush-hour trains will change starting Sunday, June 25.

 

 

Metrorail system hours

Beginning June 25, Metrorail system hours will be adjusted to enhance safety and reliability by providing more time for new categories of maintenance and testing that were not possible before. The new hours are:
 
                                  Open        Close
Sunday                      8 a.m.      11 p.m.
Monday - Thursday   5 a.m.      11:30 p.m.
Friday                        5 a.m.      1 a.m.
Saturday                   7 a.m.       1 a.m.
 
Note: On Saturday, June 24, the Metrorail system will close at midnight. The first 1 a.m. closing will be Friday, June 30.
 
Last train times vary by station. To check the last train times for a particular station, visit wmata.com/stations.
 

Metrorail service levels

On Metrorail, changes are being made to service levels during rush-hours only, where trains will run every 8 minutes on each colored line, rather than every 6 minutes on most lines today. On the Red Line, trains will run every 4 minutes between Grosvenor and Silver Spring; trains between Shady Grove and Glenmont will run every 8 minutes.
 
The Blue Line, which today runs every 12 minutes during rush hours, will see an increase in service with trains running every 8 minutes -- the same as all other lines.
 
Rush+ Yellow Line service between Franconia-Springfield and Greenbelt will be discontinued. During rush hours, all Yellow Line trains will operate between Huntington and Mt Vernon Square. (Yellow Line service will be extended to Fort Totten during off-peak hours.) Riders north of Mt Vernon Square should use Green Line trains for continuing service.
 

Bus Service Information Deleted

 
Fare adjustments
Metrorail fares will increase:
Rush hour: $0.10
Off-peak: $0.25
 
Plan a trip after June 25 using TripPlanner at wmata.com to determine new fares. 
 
Bus Fare Information Deleted
 
Parking fees will increase by $0.10 at most stations. For details on specific station rates, visit wmata.com/changes.
 
Technical correction to fare tables
As part of scheduled fare adjustments, Metro will make technical corrections to a small subset of fares to address certain distance calculation errors. Metro’s fares are distance-based. The adjustments affect fewer than five percent of rail trips; of those, most are off +/- 5 cents from the new fare based on updated distance calculations. (The overall net effect of these discrepancies meant Metro actually undercharged customers about $124,000 over the course of a year – an amount that represents 0.007 % of Metro’s operating budget.) Metro will issue an automatic credit this summer to registered SmarTrip card holders for any net overcharges exceeding $2 between 2015 and 2017.
 
Need more info?
Call Metro Customer Service at 202-637-7000 (TTY 202-962-2033).





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