A 12.5 per cent transit fare hike proposed to help fund TransLink projects in Metro Vancouver has been rejected.
TransLink Commissioner Martin Crilly, who was tasked with ensuring the transit authority is running as efficiently as possible before allowing the hike, announced Wednesday he was turning down the proposal.
Crilly asked TransLink to find the money in its own budget instead.
"TransLink now seeks fare increases outpacing inflation," Crilly said in a statement. "The ruling… sets targets for cost-saving by TransLink, but without trimming or deferring service improvements."
He gave some suggestions, including reducing slack time in bus schedules and rethinking community shuttle services, where the cost per rider is double that of bigger buses. Crilly also suggested that TransLink could supplement the HandyDART service with taxis more often.
Though his decision means FareSaver ticket books will remain the same price, TransLink is still legally allowed to increase cash fares by two per cent per year without approval.
Since fares were last increased in January 2008, they could still go up by 10 per cent in January 2013, which would see a single-zone ticket increase from $2.50 to $2.75. Two-zone fares would go up 35 cents to $4.10, and three-zone fares would increase 50 cents to $5.50.
Crilly said monthly bus passes are not his jurisdiction, and may also go up.
In March, Premier Christy Clark ordered an audit of TransLink to address a $30-million funding shortfall, but a start date has yet to be announced.
