Bus Riders Oppose MTA Hikes and Cuts

About 25 members of Los Angeles' Bus Riders Union stood outside the Metropolitan Transit Authority's headquarters on Tuesday to voice their displeasure with the MTA’s proposed fare hikes and service cuts.

"They don’t need to raise up the prices," said Bus Riders Union member Vicki, who declined to give her last name. "It's already hard for people, people already don't have enough money for the buses. People are struggling."

She and other riders assembled with representatives from CALPIRG, Transportation for American and other organizations that believe the MTA's actions cannot stand. The proposed fare raises range from a $.25 increase in the one-way pass from $1.25 to $1.50, to raising monthly passes from $62 to $75. Service cuts are looming as well.

"I can't afford 75 dollars a month for a bus pass," said Crystal McMillan, a member of the Bus Riders’ Union. "62 was pushing it, 75 isn't gonna make it any easier."

The MTA faces an operating deficit of about $180 million according to spokesman Dave Sotero. He said the fare increases will go toward bridging that gap, and he stressed LA's fares are already cheaper than a number of major cities across the country.

"It's important to realize that our customers pay only 28% of the cost to operate our service," he said. "That's extremely low compared with other transit properties across the country."

The Bus Riders Union and its organization called on the MTA to hold a public forum to discuss the proposed fare increases. The Union also urged Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein to support a bill that would allow state and local governments to invest in transit and use federal funds for operating costs.

Multiple union members said the proposed fare increases will make it extremely difficult- if not impossible -for them to ride the bus. They hope the bill will allow the MTA to keep fares at the current levels, and keep them on the bus.