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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Get ready to pay 5% more for your round-trip

Metrolinx is proposing a fare increase of 5% in a memorandum to its Board of Directors dated Dec. 5th.

For me, it means 40 cents more on a current $8.01 one-way fare, bringing my daily total to $16.82 (this is what I will pay using Presto). I suck at math (as most of you know) but I think it means, factoring in the monthly discount, that I will now pay an extra $23.10 cents a month to ride GO Transit. I suspect a lot of you are pulling out your calculators.

The proposed increase is bigger than the last one that was approved back in January. The memorandum that's online at metrolinx.com outlines the formula for the increase.  I started to poke forks in my eyes so read it for yourself here.

Who called it? Somebody on here called this one in a comment. McGuinty brings in the service guarantee, Metrolinx introduces a fair increase. No surprise here, folks.

Of course, the news release contains the words, "fiscal responsibility" and claims the money is needed by Metrolinx to maintain "its on-time performance of 95 percent" (Translation: Eff you McGuinty, we need to re-coup those refunds) and  for "service improvements [for] additional trains and buses for select corridors to facilitate ridership growth and overcrowding".

Whatever. It's not like many of us can opt out of our commute. I'm not riding a bicycle to work anytime soon so this increase will be jammed down out throats and we'll have no choice but to swallow it.

Thanks, @steven_petric, for the heads-up.

14 comments:

Devon said...

Yea, that "discount" with Presto...gone. They get everyone in on the "discount" then hike the fares. Definitely saw that one coming.

Anonymous said...

Another $250 a year gone.

April said...

I think that was me, when I emailed you before the press announcement came out.

I hate being right.

Bicky said...

Swell. Would be nice if my pay increase was 5% a year.

I think a lot of us knew the fares would go up once this service guarantee came into play. But there's so much fine print to give them an "out", they may not have to pay out much at all.

There really better be some tangible service improvements next year. I've been on the GO for 20 years. Back when I first started taking the train, I paid $138 a month, and we never had the issues with delays and cancellations like we do today. Crazy!

Squiggles said...

I know I mentioned it. And I will say again: They were told last year that they had to have a reason for the next fare increase.

The service hasn't improved, no more trains have been added, etc. and yet they have the gall to raise fares? Of course, I am a little cranky because I was on the PACKED 6:26 (from Ajax) because a previous train broke down.

I hope this increase is turned down. If even to prove to GO and the populace that Metrolinx does stand by their word.

ExGOnowTTC said...

This is the same time as yet again we're advised "business conditions" preclude bonuses or pay rises.
Might be about time i got my red flag out of the closet.

Dakota said...

The fare hike was approved. Big surprise. It takes effect Feb 1/13.

Boooooooo!

Anonymous said...

I noticed this morning that they cancelled the 5:47 a.m. trip from Oshawa to Union at 5:41 a.m. so that they didn't have to honour the service guarantee - it was cancelled before the departure time. Then, at about 6:09 a.m. the train when roaring past us in Whitby heading west. Being cynical I suspect that we will see a lot more cancellations rather than late trains.

TomW said...

"Metrolinx introduces a fair increase". Well, it it's fair, we can't complain :D

Anonymous said...

Just watch the number of fare beaters increase. By my estimates, up to 10% of the people on the train are fare beating

Anonymous said...

Watch the number of fare beaters increase.

Anonymous said...

Quit your whining.
Metrolinx is not the only thing increasing these days. If its such a crisis, drive your SUVs to work every day on 1.50/litre on gas.
Give it a rest people. Suck it up and move on.

C.J. Smith said...

Mmm, yes. Always the solution to every problem; spend more money to save money.

My dad calls that way of thinking "failed logic".

Anonymous said...

Would be nice if we could petition our employers for a pay raise to cover rising GO fares.

I doubt much would come out of it aside from a laugh or two though.