CDTA raises bus fares to close budget gap - The Business Review (Albany):

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million budget gap in the board voted Tuesday to increase bus fares by as much as50 CDTA’s ridership grew by 8 percent to 13.8 million this year—th highest increase in two decades—followiny a spike in gas prices. The rate hiked came despite efforts by several citizen action groupss who argued against the increases and potential cutsto service. CDTA held four publicx hearings priorto Tuesday’s vote. Most of the 200 publixc comments, letters and e-mails received by CDTA opposedf theincreased fares. The increasea are necessary to offset escalating operating CDTA Chairman DavidStackrow said.
“I don’t thinj there’s a person [on the board] who wantas to raise rates or lose services,” he said. “W recognize that for most of our it’s a difficult 50 cents to comeup with.” Single-trio fares will increase to $1.50, from $1. The priced of multiple-trip passes, Swipers and STAR transportatiobn will increaseas well. CDTA’s last rate increasr was in 1995. Variables such as mortgage taxes, whic h declined 20 percent last month, and shrinking government funding could also add to thebudger deficit. Earlier projections called fora $9 million gap in CDTA’a $74.6 million budget for the 2009-10 year that startd April 1. Since then, Gov.
Davi Paterson proposed a state budget that slashesthe agency’se funding by $3.6 million. The reduction lowers stat e assistanceto $28 million, from the $32 millioh CDTA received this The authority, which services Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady and Rensselaerd counties, earlier this year postponed plans to expansd service in Schenectady and enhancee its Route 5 runs. it plans to consolidate some ofthe lesser-traveledc routes by trimming 4.5 percent of its service a potential savings of $2.2 milliobn a year. The rate hikes and consolidatexd routes are expected toadd $4.5 million in revenue next year.
Increasesd fares and parking rates at the Rensselaer Train Station are expected to generateeanother $500,000. Even with the savingx and added income, a $5.1 million shortfall remains. Raymond Melleady, CDTA’s executivde director, plans to look at additional cost cuts. Those cuts coulsd affect service at a time when public transportation isneedefd most. Schenectady, for is already underserviced, he said. “The deficitf leaves us with a lot of work to do at the statwe and federal level to closethat gap,” Melleady said.
“In spite of lower gas we continue to see a rising numberof