(The Associated Press circulated the following article by Michael W. Kahn on on February 25.)
WASHINGTON — In what’s becoming an annual tradition riders could do without, Virginia Railway Express announced plans Friday to seek its fourth fare increase in as many years.
“We literally have no choice,” VRE spokesman Mark Roeber said, noting the commuter line has an additional $3.3 million in costs to cover. “And the jurisdictions that own us told us this is how we’re going to do it,” he said, adding that VRE tried to get the costs picked up locally.
That means come July, VRE’s 15,000 daily passengers can expect a fare hike between 5.25 and 7.1 percent. Roeber said the most expensive ticket, a monthly between Washington and Fredericksburg, would likely climb about $12 to $243. The monthly ticket between Manassas and Washington would rise about $11 to $199.
VRE said several of its costs are on the rise, including an additional $1.2 million to buy diesel fuel for the locomotives. Extra storage space near Union Station led to a $1.4 million increase in what VRE must pay Amtrak, which also supplies crews.
VRE also wants to buy 50 new railcars, build a maintenance facility and overhaul its locomotives.
There is also a $500,000 increase in insurance costs, mostly due to terrorism insurance. It follows a dispute with freight operator CSX — which owns the Fredericksburg Line tracks — over how much insurance is enough.
“After 9/11, CSX came back and said they were going to force us to purchase an additional $250 million worth of insurance, solely based on terrorism. We fought that for as long as we could,” Roeber said, noting VRE believes it had adequate coverage.
But CSX used a clause in the contract to buy the insurance for VRE.
“So they just bought it, and then they forced back upon us the repayment,” Roeber said.
At L’Enfant station Friday afternoon, riders seemed resigned to their fate.
“I thought it wasn’t a whole lot more to pay. It’s still going to save wear and tear on my truck as opposed to driving,” said Jesse Bingham of Fredericksburg.
“What else can you do?” asked Jim Cole of Fredericksburg. He said he understands rising costs, but not trains that are often late.
“What’s bothering me is the consistent inconsistency of service,” Cole said.
Fares last went up in June by about two percent. Late last year, VRE discontinued a late morning Manassas Line train and did not run at all the day after Thanksgiving to save money. In 2004, it eliminated service on Columbus, Presidents, Veterans and King days.
Roeber said VRE would “be kidding ourselves” to say they weren’t worried about the effect a fourth consecutive fare hike will have on riders.
“But by the same token, we have to do this, we have to pay the bills, and it is the only way we can do it,” he said.