The following is a press release from an organization unaffiliated with Voice of OC. The views expressed here are not those of Voice of OC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 12, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713
Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697
Public Asked to Weigh in on Proposed Fare Policy Adjustments
Additional community meeting planned for Oct. 18 in Santa Ana following earlier meetings in Laguna Hills, Anaheim and Orange
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is hosting a fourth community meeting to hear public input on proposed adjustments to the fare policy.
The community meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Rancho Santiago Community College District headquarters, 2323 N. Broadway in Santa Ana.
The proposals are a result of a fare policy evaluation conducted as part of OCTA’s OC Bus 360° plan. The plan seeks to improve the bus system and increase ridership by 1.3 million riders over the next three years through a number of initiatives, including shifting service from low-performing routes to areas where there is higher demand.
Recommended changes to OCTA’s fare policy include reducing the day pass fare to $4 from $5, which has already been approved for a six-month promotional period that began with the Oct. 9 service change.
The reduced day pass price is expected to increase ridership by 600,000 boardings over the six months, with loss in revenue being made up for with Low Carbon Transit Operations Program funds provided by the state’s Cap-and-Trade Program. It is the first time in OCTA’s history that a fare has been decreased.
After hearing the concerns of ACCESS customers, the OCTA is no longer considering changes to the ACCESS fare structure at this time.
Other recommendations include:
– Eliminating the 5 Ride Pass and 7 Day Pass
-Increasing the fare for express routes that travel within Orange County from $2 to $4 and increasing the fare for intercounty express routes from $6 to $7
-Enforcing reduced fare eligibility requirements for seniors and people with disabilities at point-of-sale.
Members of the public weighed in during community meetings in Laguna Hills and Anaheim and at a public hearing before the OCTA board at OCTA Headquarters in Orange.
For more information on the fare study and to provide comments online, visit www.ocbus.com/farestudy.
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