How Orange County Transportation Stacks Up
One of the biggest stumbling blocks to date for any further progress of OCTA has been slowed by the current economic strains. “Obviously, with the recession, sales tax revenues are way down,” (OCTA Board Chair Peter Buffa) shares. “Worse yet, our state funding for transit has been virtually eliminated as a result of the budget meltdown in California.” ... So, what is the State of California doing to help further OCTA projects? “Doing to help? Are you serious? In the midst of its current budget meltdown, the state has virtually eliminated all funding for public transportation. This year alone, we lost almost $30 million in state funding and will lose about $275 million over the next five years, at the same time the economy is in slowing to a crawl and at the very moment we’re trying to develop a true public transit system.”
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Omnitrans proposes increasing bus fares
The area's bus agency is proposing to increase fares starting in September. Omnitrans plans to hike regular bus fares from $1.35 to $1.50 per ride. The rate for seniors and disabled riders would go from $0.55 to $0.60 per ride. Omnitrans has suffered from declining sales tax revenue and a reduction in state funding as a result of the budget crisis, Williams said.
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Costs, frustration rise for Bay Area drivers, transit riders
Gas prices are marching relentlessly toward three bucks a gallon. Stiffer vehicle registration fees are arriving in the mail. And soon bus and train riders across the Bay Area will be paying higher fares for less service … Next up on the pain platform, transit users. The state slashed millions of dollars in its attempt to resolve its budget woes, cuts that train and bus agencies didn't see coming just three months ago. Now, Caltrain may end weekend service, reduce midday trains from every 30 minutes to once an hour and stop running trains to Gilroy to close a $10.1 million gap. Fare hikes are also possible. BART riders will get hit with fare hikes ranging from 25 cents to $2.50 on July 1, and $1 parking fees will be instituted at stations from Pleasant Hill to Hayward.
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BART fares going up by 6.1% on July 1
Describing it as a "hold-our-noses" decision, BART directors voted Thursday to raise fares and parking fees in July - including nearly tripling the surcharge for trips to and from San Francisco International Airport. The BART board agreed to move up a long-planned 6.1 percent fare hike to July 1, six months ahead of schedule. BART faces a projected $54 million deficit heading into the new fiscal year because of a decline in ridership, cuts in state transit funding and shrinking sales tax revenue. Over the next four years, officials expect that the funding shortfall will be nearly $250 million.
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Regional Transit Taking Big Budget Hit
In response to the state of California's elimination of $26.2 million in State Transit Assistance funds and a severe decline in local sales tax revenue projected for the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) in Fiscal Year 2010, RT will hold a public hearing to discuss proposed service changes for implementation on September 6, 2009. In an effort to close the gap on a projected $9 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2010, service changes may include reduction, realignment or discontinuation of [bus] routes.
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