December 8, 2011
by Richard Weir, Boston Herald

Advocates for bus and train riders are seeing red over the prospect of fare hikes and service reductions expected to be announced by the state’s transportation chief after the first of the year.

“A fare increase is just not fair,” Gwen Vincent, an unemployed Dorchester teacher and T Riders Union member, told the MBTA’s board of directors yesterday. “We’re talking about people’s livelihoods.”

The group’s director, Lee Matsueda, called a fare hike “unwise,” driving away customers at a time of record ridership. He urged T brass to find alternatives instead of “placing this burden on the backs of the riding public.”

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The T Riders Union showed T documents suggesting a possible 36 percent hike for adult Charlie Card bus fares, $1.25-$1.70; and a 38 percent increase in rapid transit fares, $1.70-$2.35. Another suggests a bus fare hike to $1.50 but a steeper subway hike to $2.40.

RIDE fares would also be hiked, by as much as 125 percent, or $2.50, as would commuter rail fares, with some zones seeing a 40 percent increase.

Davey said the T would wait until after the holidays to release its fare and service proposals with public hearings before a July start.

“We want folks to know what the proposals are,” he said, adding that some proposals include distance-pricing for longer trips, increased fares at night and cutting underutilized bus lines. “We’ve tried to work very hard at wringing out as many efficiencies as we possibly can,” Davey said.

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