爱城计划调高老人公交票价，改变U-Pass政策
原始发布日期： 2019-03-15 发布者：虫子字变大 字变小
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City pitches increase to senior transit pass price in fare policy adjustment. The poor, homeless and new immigrants to Edmonton could see a big reduction in transit fares next year.  Local seniors could see a significant jump in transit pass prices if proposed adjustments to the city fare policy are approved. Administration is recommending that the city try to recover between 40 and 45 per cent of the transit system’s operating costs, according to a report going to city council’s urban planning committee Thursday The report suggests ways the fare policy could be adjusted to help meet that cost recovery goal — and one proposal is to significantly reduce the discount seniors get on passes. Presently, the cost of a monthly senior pass in Edmonton is $15.50, which is 15 per cent of the adult base price of $97.00. If the changes are approved, seniors would pay 65 per cent of of the adult base price, $67 per month at the current fare rate. The report says this increase will help avoid a major price jump on the base fare. Discounts or free passes would still be available for low-income seniors, and to “ease the transition,” the report said seniors will only have to pay 35 per cent of the base price until the city’s new card-base smart fare system is rolled out. The adjustment would bring Edmonton in line with discounts offered to seniors in other Canadian cities: presently Edmonton seniors can get a pass for 15 per cent of the adult base price. Hamilton offers the next largest discount at 28 per cent of its adult price, while Toronto charges seniors 80 per cent of the base price. The report also recommends eliminating the student pass for students whose schools don’t participate in the U-Pass program, setting a discount for riders between the ages of 13 to 24 also at 65 per cent of the base price. Members of council who took a look at the report Thursday said it raises a lot of questions. “A four-times increase in an individual fare is a pretty big deal to an individual senior,” said Ward 9 Coun. Tim Cartmell, who sits on the committee. Ward 1 Coun. Andrew Knack said he plans to challenge the premise that revenue recovery is the best starting point for setting fares. “It feels like we’re setting the recovery rate, regardless of what service we provide. And that may not in fact be the right approach for us,” he said. The base cash fare in Edmonton increased from $3.25 to $3.50 on Feb. 1. A proposed hike to $4 by 2020 is on hold pending city staff reporting back on its fare policy. Ward 4 Coun. Aaron Paquette said he doesn’t think it makes sense for committee to even look at the fare policy until November, when a report is expected back in response to his motion asking for more information about the city’s transit plan, including the effect of fare cost on ridership. “Why are we considering this path of our raising our fares to some of the highest in North America, when we’re not even offering the best service in North America?” Paquette asked. Seniors in Edmonton have been outspoken about their concerns about the city’s planned bus route redesign, which is expected to roll out in 2020. The redesign is meant to create greater efficiencies, but seniors worry it will remove bus stops that are accessible to them, requiring longer walks that may be impassable for people with mobility and health issues. pparsons@postmedia.com twitter.com/paigeeparsons |