MTA Raises Prices, Empties Wallets

When traveling to school students have the choice of commuting by car, taking public transport, or, if they live close enough, walking or riding a bike. However, the choice of taking public transport may be taken away from some students after an unwarranted fare increase by the MTA over the summer.

The fare rise will occur over the next two years, with tickets such as the popular day pass eventually rising from $3 to $6, the monthly pass rising from $52 to

$75, and a college student pass rising from $30 to $43 in 2009.

Approximately 1,500 bus and rail riders protested outside the MTA board meeting on the 24th of May, saying that they could not afford to pay any extra for transportation - which, for many people, is the only

way that they can get to work or school. According to an article in the LA Times, some protesters claimed that the MTA was being racist, as the majority of riders are of the Black and Latino working class.

However, those who depend on the MTA to get around Los

Angeles should be grateful that the fare increases were not even higher - the original plan was to raise a one-way ticket to $2 from $1.25, a daily pass to $8 and the monthly pass to a whopping $120 in the next two years. The MTA board then decided against the higher rises because they were "too draconian."

Such a fare increase cannot be justified. Many students, not just at this college but across Los Angeles, are already strapped for cash, paying for tuition, books and living expenses. Having to pay an extra $13 a month to travel may not sound like much, but for some it means making a choice between coming to school, or not coming at all.

What is adding insult to injury is that the MTA will not use the increased revenue to improve bus services, or increase the size of their bus fleet. Instead, the MTA will use it to build another Metro rail line, running from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica. The

MTA states that this new project will cost $600 million to build. What would make more sense is to build something similar to the Orange Line - Which cost only $349.6 million dollars to construct, and has been a runaway success for the authority.

For an organization who promotes cleaner air and increasing ridership, the MTA is going the wrong way about it. This fare rise is sure to force people back into their cars - at least, those who can afford to drive.

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