Bus fares going up in Charlottetown
The cost to hop on a transit bus in greater Charlottetown is going up in the new year.
Charlottetown city council approved a 25 cent rate hike at Monday night's council meeting. Starting Jan. 30 riders will pay $2.25 for a single fare. The prices for monthly passes and ticket booklets are going up too. Ten tickets for adults will now cost $20 instead of $17, and a monthly pass goes from $60 to $65.
Coun. Mitch Tweel thinks the hikes are reasonable.
"The City of Halifax, for example, I think is $2.25," said Tweel.
"The modest increase helps with maintenance and fuel. And it helps with the new plan that we're going to be unveiling at the end of January."
The new transit plan will include more frequent buses up and down University Avenue, with a bus scheduled every 15 minutes.
Transit fare comparison
| Single fare | 10 tickets | Monthly pass | ||||
| Halifax | Ch'town | Halifax | Ch'town | Halifax | Ch'town | |
| Adult | $2.25 | $2.25 | $18 | $20 | $70 | $65 |
| Senior | $1.50 | $2.25 | $13 | $18 | $52 | $45 |
While the fares for a single ride will be the same as Metro Transit in Halifax, costs for ticket books will be higher, but lower for monthly passes. Metro Transit also provides a break on single fares for seniors.
The increases in Charlottetown are in line with what an independent consultant suggested for the transit system to become financially sustainable.
The city has signed a three-and-a-half year financial agreement with Trius Transit to continue operating the service. Tweel said the rates will be reviewed on an annual basis. The city also increased its taxpayer subsidy to the transit system, but Tweel wasn't specific on how much more Charlottetown will pay.
Currently, the transit system accommodates about 300,000 riders a year.