Metra riders rush to purchase passes before 25% fare hike
BY KIM JANSSEN kjanssen@suntimes.com January 31, 2012 10:34PM
Kristen Serna talks about the Metra price increase after purchasing tickets in Union Station Tuesday, January 31, 2012 | Brian Jackson~Sun-Times
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Updated: March 2, 2012 8:15AM
Irritated commuters rushed Tuesday to buy Metra tickets before fare hikes averaging 25 percent go into effect today.
But they couldn’t buy more than a month’s worth of discounted 10-ride passes, thanks to a Metra policy designed to prevent stockpiling.
“I don’t think it’s right,” said Leslie Pilkington, 56, as she prepared to fork out an extra $15 for 10 rides between Elgin and her downtown job. “If the tickets didn’t expire at the end of February, I would have bought lots more.”
Metra says the fare increase is necessary to plug a $53.6 million budget gap and to fund infrastructure improvements.
One-way fares within the city from downtown increase from $2.50 to $3 today, while 10-ride tickets increase from $20 to $27 and monthly tickets go from $63.45 to $85.50.
One-way fares from downtown to inner-ring suburbs go from $4 to $4.75; 10-ride tickets go from $32.30 to $42.75; and monthly tickets increase from $102.60 to $135.25.
From downtown to the farthest outlying towns, one-way fares will go from $8.50 to $9.25; 10-ride tickets will go from $68.45 to $83.25; and monthly tickets will go from $217.35 to $263.50.
In the past, 10-ride tickets were good for a year. But all tickets sold between Nov. 11 and Tuesday expire on Feb. 29. Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said in previous years customers had “stockpiled” the passes before price rises went into effect, but “we couldn’t afford that this year.”
From today, the higher-priced 10-ride tickets will again be valid for a year, he said.
Commuters lining up Tuesday to buy passes at Union Station were frustrated but resigned to the changes.
“It’s to be expected,” said law student Kristen Serna, 26, as she waited to buy passes for her ride between Grayslake and downtown. “Nobody likes to pay more, but there are things that bother me more in the world.”
Mike Maxwell, 30, was unhappy to see his monthly ticket increase from $63 to $86, but he said, “It’s still way cheaper than putting gas in my car, so I’ll just have to deal with it.”
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