(The Burke Times posted the following article by Jason Jacks on its website on June 22.)
BURKE, Va. — Commuters will have to dig a little deeper into their wallets and purses starting next week as Virginia Rail Express, Metro and Fairfax Connector officials are all poised to raise fares.
The VRE fare changes, which were approved by the Northern Virginia Transportation and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation commissions on May 6, will take effect Monday, June 28.
The changes include a 4- to 11-percent ticket price increase, depending on the station the commuter travels from; a decrease of the 10-ride ticket discount to 10 percent; and the creation of a new $1 “step-up” charge for VRE riders transferring to an Amtrak train during the week.
As part of these changes, VRE officials are eliminating the Amtrak weekend transfer service entirely after this weekend.
Also, a new five-day pass at a 20-percent discount will be added, and the VRE monthly ticket discount will increase to 33 percent.
Under the new fare structure, a monthly pass from the Franconia-Springfield station into Washington, D.C., will jump from $135.80 to $143.50 and a pass from the Burke Centre station will go from $147.95 to $157.60.
On June 17, the Metro Board of Directors approved their own fare increases, which start Sunday.
This is the second year in a row Metro has raised fares, but, according to Metro board member and Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman (D), Metro is only making up for several years of not adjusting its prices.
“We spent eight years without an increase,” he said. “You have to eventually pay the piper.”
The Metrorail base fare will jump from $1.20 to $1.35 and the Metrobus base fare from $1.20 to $1.25. An express bus fare will increase 50 cents to $3.
Metrorail’s one-day pass will rise from $6 to $6.50 and the seven-day pass from $30 to $32.50.
Daily parking rates in Metro lots will cost 75 cents more, and monthly reserved parking permits will jump from $35 to $45.
On the Fairfax County side, transportation officials will raise fares for the Fairfax Connector system from 75 cents to $1 per trip starting this Sunday.
Senior or disabled fares will remain unchanged.
Some of the revenues generated from the fare hike would help fund the new South County Bus Service Plan, which was approved by the Fairfax Board of Supervisors June 21.