Chicago Tribune: CTA raises cash fares to $2

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051109ctafare,1,3373291.story?coll=chi-news-hed


"Chicago Transit Authority riders who pay with cash will have to dig another quarter out of their pocket next year to ride a bus or train now that the agency's board agreed Wednesday to increase cash fares to $2.

While the cash fare hike was expected, the board shocked advocates for the disabled by also voting to double paratransit fares to $3.50, prompting some people to boo the board. The board's actions let stand a decision it made in June to raise those fares, rejecting a recommendation by CTA President Frank Kruesi to keep the fares at their current $1.75.

"I'm just appalled," said Tim Sullivan, a RTA travel trainer for Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, an advocacy group for people with disabilities. "They low-balled us."

But CTA Chairwoman Carole Brown said it made more sense to double paratransit fares, noting the specialized rides cost the CTA $25 per ride. CTA officials estimate the fare increase will generate about $1.7 million.

The board also agreed to eliminate cash transfers and double the downtown rush hour shuttle cash fare to $2 from $1 as part of its $1.04 billion 2006 operating budget..."

It's becoming harder and harder to live in Chicago every day.

of the paper transfer.

This is a HUGE deal IMO. I usually get on the bus each day, put in my two dollars and get my paper transfer which gives me two more rides (either bus or train). It's not going to be a big to me when the change takes place at the beginning of the year. I'll simply go online with my email account and credit card and get one of the new cards.

However, I can't imagine how this is going to impact the lower class, the people who don't have credit cards or email address and DEPEND on the paper transfer to get to school and/or their jobs for only $2. the people I see get on the bus everyday and scrape for change or put in their last $2 to get where they are going. It is now going to cost them $4 or $6 depending on how this exactly shakes out.

I just can't believe more isn't bad made of the end of the paper transfer.