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The board of directors for the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority has approved fare increases for Wheels bus routes.
Executive Manager Paul Matsuoka said ticket prices will rise from $1.75 to $2 and monthly passes will go up from $53 to $60. Seniors, who rode free from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and the disabled, who rode free, will now have to pay $1 to ride. Paratransit rides increased to $3.50, up 50 cents.
The increases will help LAVTA make up for a projected $1 million budget shortfall, Matsuoka said, adding that there is the threat of further revenue decline upwards of an additional $1 million.
Also approved were changes to routes 3, 12, 18 and 20. Saturday service will be cut on Saturdays for Route 18, while other modifications will include pickup times, a reduction in buses, and the merging of routes.
When will this fare increase take effect? Unfortunately, the article doesn’t mention this fact and could be beefed up a bit – phone # to call for questions, etc.? Will those already holding purchased tickets (students, disabled using paratransit) be able to use their current tickets up at the old rate or will they have to pay the price difference at the box on the buses?
Editors… any comment or follow-up?
Suburban public transit systems are a total waste of taxpayer money. Too many of those Wheels busses drive around all day with nobody on them but the driver alone, all the while guzzling fossil fuels like there’s no tomorrow, not to mention making a huge carbon footprint. And those big fancy expensive new busses Wheels buys every year I’ll bet cost close to a $million dollars each, are able to carry up to 50 or 60 passengers but rarely have more than 1 or 2 people. And I think taxpayers would blow their tops if they knew the fat salaries and overhead of the administration! Let’s face it, Bus systems don’t work in the suburbs. Why don’t we stop wasting tax payer money like this. The Wheels system should be abolished and with the money saved you could buy the handful of riders their own cars and still save millions.
I just spoke with someone in the administration department of the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority who said the changes will go into effect March 22.
The contact number for Wheels/LAVTA is (925) 455-7500, or visit http://www.lavta.org
Tri Valley Tax Payer,
I wonder by chance when you last rode a Wheel’s bus? The number 10 is quite crowded during commute hours.
Tri Valley Tax payer,
I know what u mean. I went to their website to see any info on the cuts, nuttin yet. Fancy homepage for a system losing money.
Keep the route 10 or absorb Wheels into AC transit, a much better runned system.
I worked with LAVTA, route 10 is a solid route, and LAVTA is very well run. AC Transit has exponentially more overhead costs. LAVTA actually probably needs cuts because it was either locked into a fuel deal that turned out to be a bad bargain when the price of oil tumbled, or they are hurt by the states withdrawal of STA transit funding.
Oh and Tri Valley Taxpayer, maybe if you took the bus, they wouldnt have to cut service.
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