MTS and NCTD have been kicking the fare-increase ball back and forth for almost a year now. After public hearings where it was pointed out that almost all the increases affected those least able to pay there was some repositioning, but still no real increase in the general rates, just in rates made available to S-D-M customers (Senior-Disabled-Medicare). The new rates were approved by the SANDAG board in June and will go into effect county-wide September 1.
All MTS and NCTD bus rides now will be $2.50, or $1.25 to those with an SDM Compass Card. Eliminated were the lower fares ($2.25/$1.10) on the lesser routes and even lower on the Breeze buses in North County - the higher price formerly applied only to Rapid routes (like my favorite 235 between downtown and Escondido). For the last several years I have been buying the 30-day Compass Card pass at one of the fare machines for $18. The new price will be $23 (at least it's not the $26 originally proposed). The general public price for a 30-day pass will stay at $72.
Balancing those increases for customers in my situation will be a new $3 day pass for SDM Compass Card holders - the full-fare day pass will increase from $5 (which is the price charged now to everyone) to $6. Looking at my spreadsheet of transit charges, some months I would have been better off with a $23 30-day pass, and some months with several $3 day passes.
There are also some technical changes, such as eliminating the 2, 3, 4 and 14-day passes (which almost no one bought anyway) and some changes to the Coaster fares, whicch I never ride since I don't live near the coast.
All MTS and NCTD bus rides now will be $2.50, or $1.25 to those with an SDM Compass Card. Eliminated were the lower fares ($2.25/$1.10) on the lesser routes and even lower on the Breeze buses in North County - the higher price formerly applied only to Rapid routes (like my favorite 235 between downtown and Escondido). For the last several years I have been buying the 30-day Compass Card pass at one of the fare machines for $18. The new price will be $23 (at least it's not the $26 originally proposed). The general public price for a 30-day pass will stay at $72.
Balancing those increases for customers in my situation will be a new $3 day pass for SDM Compass Card holders - the full-fare day pass will increase from $5 (which is the price charged now to everyone) to $6. Looking at my spreadsheet of transit charges, some months I would have been better off with a $23 30-day pass, and some months with several $3 day passes.
There are also some technical changes, such as eliminating the 2, 3, 4 and 14-day passes (which almost no one bought anyway) and some changes to the Coaster fares, whicch I never ride since I don't live near the coast.
