Riding the bus around Fort Collins may cost more money if a
proposition to increase rider fares is passed in November, but
students will not be affected this year.
The Fort Collins City Council will vote on a proposed 25 percent
increase in fares for Tranfort Bus Service and Dial-A-Ride on Nov.
18.
The current cost to ride Transfort is $1 for passengers over the
age of 17, 50 cents for people older than 60 and there is no charge
for people under the age of 17.
If the proposal is passed, fares will be changed to $1.25 for
single rides and 60 cents for those over 60 years old. Fares for
youth passengers will remain the same.
If passed, the new fares will be implemented in January, when
Transfort releases its new schedule.
The Associated Students of CSU contributes to funding Transfort
services through student fees, but will not be affected by the fare
increase this school year.
“Students won’t feel the impact this year,” said ASCSU President
Jesse Lauchner.
“We have a year-to-year contract until June (2004), if they
raise the prices we won’t be affected.”
If the proposal is passed, however, renegotiations of the ASCSU
contract with Transfort this spring will most likely include the
increased fares.
Currently, each full-time student pays a flat rate of $12.19 in
student fees for the bus service, totaling $550,000 that ASCSU
contributes to Transfort services each year, Lauchner said.
In May 2002, due to public comment, the City Council requested a
study to assess if the current fares and fees were appropriate,
said Marlys Sittner, Transfort’s operations manager.
Transfort submitted a proposal last week to City Council to
increase fares by 10, 25 or 50 percent, indicating the effects each
percent increase would have on revenue and rider use.
“We laid out the options and the results and most were
interested in the 25 percent (increase)” Sittner said.
Tom Frazier, Transfort general manager, said there is a
potential for loss of riders if City Council decides to increase
the fares.
“For every 10 percent increase in fares, there’s a potential of
(three and one third) percent reduction in ridership,” Frazier
said.
Transfort could potentially lose 20,000 passengers from the bus
service and 6,000 from Dial-A-Ride.
Fort Collins City Council will be voting on the proposition on
Nov. 18 and public comment is encouraged.
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