Editor's note: The following news release was issued by Sun Metro. The complete release can be viewed via the first link below. The second link is a map showing locations of public meetings.
EL PASO, TEXAS – Due to mounting fuel costs, Sun Metro is proposing a 25% rate increase to our base fare as well as increases for discount fares, transfers and monthly passes for FY 2009, to budget for an estimated $6.5 million spike in fuel cost. In addition, Sun Metro needs to expand existing services to meet increasing ridership demand as traffic congestion and escalating fuel costs highlight the added importance of ensuring area residents with a viable transportation alternative.
An important component to providing public transportation is fuel and as the current natural gas fuel contract is set to expire at the end of this year; fuel cost will nearly triple from the current .89 cents a gallon to an estimated $2.21 to $2.41 per gallon.
Related Documents:
David
July 2, 2008
Amazing.....
SCAT should be encouraging individuals to use their transit system instead of taking the opportunity to hike rates. Has "anyone" at SCAT taken the time to determine what increased ridership means to revenues.
A full bus load of individuals is more profitable than just having one or two riders.
Mindy Gutierrez
July 2, 2008
This is a good time for the publication transportation to take advantage and offer services like a Park & Ride. One can park their car in certain parking lots throughout the city and take a straight shot into downtown, the University, Texas Tech, etc.
This would be great for Sun Metro as well as the city in general. It would help the consumer save money with the fuel prices and would also help with the pollution, even with the 25% increase it's still very afforable.
-Ellen
July 2, 2008
What's up with Sun Metro? Rather than increase rates why don't they increase consumer traffic by offering opportunities for more people to take advantage of their system? 'Park and Rides' from strategic locations (selfishly speaking starting from the Upper Valley) direct to downtown... I'd take it every day!
Juan Arturo Muro
July 2, 2008
Excellent! One of the worst public bus lines in the U.S. is now increasing its rates! Way to go! Will they place mini-TV's while they do this, too?
Excuse my sarcastic tone but I think El Pasoans who can afford cars and fuel have never seriously considered using the bus. Worse yet, your basic El Pasoan thinks that the bus is for "losers, down-and-outers, the jobless, "crazies", students, and "lower-class" folk.
I state this because I rode the bus regularly for 20-plus years and I'm a working, responsible 35-year old householder who's interviewed others as to why they don't use the bus and the answers I get are what I posted in the paragraph above.
It's not completely true... You do get drunks and homeless persons riding in it but so what? Eightly five percent of riders are lower class working women and men who simply have no cars. They are good people who share a space that others think is too "beneath them".
Yeah, the buses break down often and are sometimes late and some of the passengers have bad breath in the early morning but you know what? They are also fun. My wife, our kids and I ride them on Saturdays to sight-see. I no longer depend on Sun Metro as others do--maybe that's why I enjoy it now more than when I was younger.
I think Sun Metro never did a good job to convince anyone to save gas and use it--but then again, the typical El Pasoan attitude is "who cares? I'm not riding in that low class public wagon".
Will
July 4, 2008
Cities across the country (I think Chicago just raised its rates AND cut routes) are dealing with gas costs by raising fares. What's the big deal?
zea
July 5, 2008
considering that the buses are constantly changing location i say this is a big deal. as a student i regularly ride the bus and sometimes i barely have enough to get home. Increasing the prices would make things much more diffucult.
big brown
July 5, 2008
Now let me get this straight, Sun Metro expects an increase in ridership due to the high gas prices which would mean more income but it needs to raise prices to meet its fuel cost. Whose running this orgganization, the three stooges. Why can't they buy their fuel in bulk from the lowest bidder, hell get it piped in from mexico. I've never heard of a company increasing it's revenue and thus having to raise what it charges for services. And where our our city reps, they have gas cards, cut them off, they have cell phones cut them off, they have free parking make them pay a meter, if they don't dig it let them get a real job.
LVD