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Commuter rail service Metrolink is considering a fare increase to be implemented at the start of the new year, reports the Daily News. "The five-county Metrolink agency board is scheduled to meet Friday to decide whether to hike ticket prices for tens of thousands of daily passengers by as much as 6 percent." The potential fare increase can be most likely attributed to a number of factors, including a decrease in ridership as well as their financial struggles that can be in part associated with the demand for rigorous safety reforms, most notably as a result of last year's deadly Chatsworth collision.
Metrolink is facing a massive budget shortfall, and just this summer raised fares by 3 percent. Reaction to the discussions about another increase has been mixed, with some officials hoping service reductions and alterations could better solve the agency's cash woes, while others see this as the only viable solution to an ongoing problem. If the rate hike is to be implemented, "a one-way ticket from Riverside to downtown Los Angeles could top $11."
