Cleveland RTA mulls delaying fare hike

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) is considering delaying a planned 2018 fare hike for at least another year to complete a comprehensive fare study.

The agency's operational planning and infrastructure committee recommended putting the fare increase on hold after yesterday's meeting of the full GCRTA board.

The board is expected to approve the committee's recommendation on March 27 when it votes on a revised 2018 operating budget, GCRTA officials said in a press release.

"We need to take a look at the possibility of modifying our fare structure to best assure fairness and equity to our customers," said Joe Calabrese, GCRTA's chief executive officer and general manager. "It's critical that we study if there is a way to join with community partners to offer lower fares for our customers with lower incomes."

Many U.S. transit systems are reporting ridership declines due to reduced gas prices, reliance on ride-sharing services and an increase in telecommuting, Calabrese noted. But, in Cleveland, "the biggest impact on loss of ridership is affordability among those with reduced incomes," he said.

In 2016, ridership declined 6 percent following a 25-cent fare hike, according to cleveland.com. That decline was double the projected loss, the news website reported.

Other U.S. cities have put in place subsidized fare programs for low-income riders. In Seattle, for instance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients qualify for reduced-price transit passes.