The Sacramento Regional Transit board voted last night to raise fares on buses and light rail trains by about 10 percent starting this summer. It's been seven years since RT last raised fares. Critics say that's too long.
"They dug themselves a hole by letting the clear need for an increase go for so long," says Dan Allison with the group Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders.
He says RT should have gradually imposed smaller fare hikes. Allison says the 10 percent increase all at once will hit poor people hard.
"People that strongly rely on RT, we would expect it to have a significant effect," says Allison. "And there will be some loss of ridership."
RT's Alane Masui says the fare hikes will help the agency fill a budget hole.
"We're responding to a $2.7 million budget deficit projected for fiscal year 2016," says Masui.
Under the new fare schedule, single rides will cost $2.75, up from the current $2.50. Daily passes will go up to $7. And monthly passes will cost $110.
The higher fares take effect on July 1st.
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