Published: September 19, 2008 08:08 pm      

NFTA: Agency considering quarter hike on standard Metro bus rate

Already dealing with increased costs for food, home heating and seemingly everything else these days, Linda Barksdale certainly isn’t looking forward to having to dig deeper into her pocket to find more money for her primary mode of transportation.

Like other users of Metro bus services in Western New York, the Center Court resident may have little choice as representatives from the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority seriously consider a fare hike to combat their agency’s own rising costs.

“I think it will be a hardship for those on fixed incomes,” said Barksdale. “Considering 50 percent of the people in Niagara Falls are on some kind of assistance and many are in the poverty level, 25 cents is a bit much in the beginning. This is a very impoverished area.”

Trustees on the NFTA’s Board started discussing fare hike options this week, including a tentative plan to raise base rates for bus and rail service from $1.50 to $1.75. The move, if authorized by the board of directors, would be effective Jan. 1.

NFTA officials say the move is needed to erase a projected deficit in the Metro Division budget that is projected to be between $2.5 million and $3 million by the end of the agency’s fiscal year, March 31, 2009. Meckler said a number of factors are contributing to the system’s deficit, including hefty increases in the cost of diesel fuel, reductions in state operations aid and expectations that Erie County Mortgage tax receipts will be significantly lower than previously anticipated.

“We’re looking at various ways to get a balanced budget,” Meckler said. “We just believe that an increase is necessary.”

The fare increase would be the first since 2003. It is also not a given. Meckler said the agency is required to hold public hearings in anticipation of rate increases and plans to do so in both Niagara and Erie counties in October. Comments from riders attending the hearings will be considered by NFTA trustees before they are asked to vote on the fare increase at their December meeting.

“There aren’t really any good alternatives,” Meckler said. “One of the other alternatives would be to look at reducing services.”

Robert Moore, a Buffalo resident who has been relying on Metro bus while house-hunting in Niagara Falls, estimates he saves more than $100 per week by using public transportation as opposed to driving a car. He believes he will continue to save money even if bus fares are increased.

“I still think it’s cheaper than having a car,” he said. “Gas is going up. Everything is going up. If they don’t raise it 25 cents now, a year from now it’s going to be a dollar increase. That will really hurt.”