47°
STAMFORD, Conn. Lorela Guzman is dreading Metro-North Railroads higher ticket prices. On Jan. 1, the railroad will increase its prices by 4 percent.
Thats a lot, the Bridgeport resident said as she waited to go to work at the Stamford Transportation Center and thought about how much it would cost to travel back and forth every day. I prefer to get a car.
Metro-North Railroad will raise its fares on the New Haven Line for the first time in seven years on Jan. 1. Costs for tickets will rise 4 percent each year for 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Those increases are in addition to the 1.25 percent increase in 2012 and 1 percent that will be added each year until 2018 to help pay for the upgraded M-8 rail cars now going into service.
We have held the line on fare increases since Jan. 1, 2005, Transportation Commissioner James Redeker said Friday. During that time, however, operating expenses grew by 12 percent due to inflation. I believe it is now reasonable to impose some modest increases.
For example, monthly passes from Stamford to Grand Central will rise from $264 to $278 when the new year arrives. One-way peak prices will increase from $12.25 to $13.
Metro-North and the Department of Transportation originally planned to raise fares by 16.4 percent starting on Nov. 1. But after hearing commuter complaints at a series of public hearings this summer - and with Connecticuts budget now more secure - the state settled on a 12 percent increase over three years.
While operating costs continue to go up, now that state budget issues have been resolved, we can live with something less from the fare box, Redeker said. I am also pleased that we will not have to reduce any service.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Stamford and receive free news updates.
