Metro fare change is needed to keep expanding transit options rolling: Guest commentary

http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20140317/metro-fare-change-is-needed-to-keep-expanding-transit-options-rolling-guest-commentary

By Arthur T. Leahy, March 17, 2014

On March 29, Metro will hold a public hearing on fare changes. The issue at hand isn’t about how much we should charge for bus and rail service. It’s about sweeping changes in how riders use and connect with their ever growing transit network.

Twenty-four years ago the only public transit option in Los Angeles County was taking the bus. Today, thanks to voters who approved local transit sales taxes, Metro runs more than 2,200 buses and six rail lines on 87 miles of track, and five new rail projects crisscrossing the county will be under construction within a year. About 400,000 passengers board Metro trains on an average weekday and rail ridership is growing exponentially. Metro also is investing more than $1 billion to overhaul the Blue Line, subway and other existing lines to ensure safe and reliable travel for our customers for decades to come.

As a former bus operator, I understand that rail is just one transit option. Buses remain the backbone of our system.

That’s why the first of 550 new buses began entering service a few weeks ago, with an option for us to purchase 300 more. That’s why we recently opened the modern El Monte Transit Center. That’s why we extended the Orange Line busway to Chatsworth and developed the popular Silver Line freeway express bus between the South Bay and San Gabriel Valley. And that’s why we’re building a new state-of-the-art bus maintenance facility in downtown Los Angeles near our Union Station transit hub.

Buses and trains don’t compete. They complement each other to enhance connectivity for our customers, attract new riders and ease traffic and air pollution. And our system of buses and rail also includes Metrolink and more than a dozen municipal bus carriers.

While Angelenos still love their cars, 2 million county residents voted for Measure R in 2008, the half-cent sales tax dedicated to expanding our public transportation system. You voted for public transit options.

 And we’re delivering those options. Within two years the Expo Line will connect Santa Monica with downtown Los Angeles, the Gold Line will be extended to Azusa and more projects including the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project are in construction or pre-construction phases.

Even with more transit options, Metro fares will remain among the lowest in the nation, but we can’t sustain the current fare structure with riders only paying a quarter of what it costs to operate buses and trains. That is far lower than many other transit agencies such as San Diego (41 percent), Chicago (44 percent) and New York (53 percent).

In two years, Metro faces a $37 million operating deficit that will balloon to $225 million in 10 years. We’re squeezing every penny we can from local sales taxes and tapping dwindling operating assistance from state and federal coffers to make up the balance between what our riders pay and the cost of delivering service.

We cut overhead, eliminated non-contract jobs, beefed up efforts to curb fare evasion, and boosted productivity — but it doesn’t pencil out. And, no, we can’t legally siphon monies from voter approved Measure R street and highway projects or stop the rail program.

Without additional revenue, the momentum in delivering new transit and weaning solo drivers from behind the wheel will come to a screeching halt. Bus service would be cut and we couldn’t open new rail lines under construction.

Fare changes are necessary. Staff has proposed two options to gradually get us to a point in six years where riders would cover one third of our operating costs. Again, it’s not just about raising fares. Staff also is proposing free transfers within a 90 minute period instead of charging double for transfers as is now the case. This will encourage customers to more fully use their investment in the growing transit system.

 We’ve held off as long as possible recommending fare changes. If the Metro Board of Directors approves, this would be the fourth time in 19 years fares were raised. But we have accomplished much in the past two decades in giving a traffic-weary public more transportation options. By making tough choices now, we will continue to transform Los Angeles from the car capital of the world to a world-class transit capital.

Arthur T. Leahy is CEO of Metro.