City transit users are being reminded they’ll have to dig a little deeper into their wallets to get from point A to B in the new year.
New fares for St. Albert Transit take effect Jan. 1 and will see a slight increase for passes and tickets, but cash fares will remain unchanged.
A monthly local pass will increase to $55 from $52, and monthly commuter passes to $90 from $85.
Monthly high school and seniors passes will also increase by $5 to $79 and $45 respectively, while post-secondary students will have to fork out an extra $20 and pay $316 for a four-month pass.
The remainder of increases for commuter and local ticket booklets range from $2 to $3.
Similar increases were introduced the previous year, with the city receiving few complaints from transit users.
City officials are expecting few complaints again this year, but some transit users are already expressing their dissatisfaction.
Desiree Strembesky uses the transit service every day to get to her job in downtown Edmonton, but has to walk several blocks to get to her office building.
If there’s going to be an increase in fares, she said she’d like to see improvements to the service as well.
“I think it’s crazy because the service isn’t that great. [Fares] should at least stay the same or at least improve the service,” said Strembesky, who believes the monthly fare increases will add up to a lot of money in the long run, so she’ll have to adjust her monthly budget accordingly.
“You have to cut down on other things. No more Tim Hortons on the way home.”
Although the fare changes were approved as part of the 2010 budget, they aren’t necessarily set in stone.
By late May, council is expected to review a transit strategy, which will look at everything from Handibus to regular bus fares.
Mayor Nolan Crouse said current increases are not overbearing, but will allow the city to keep its cost recovery to about 36 or 38 per cent. Historically, the city has recovered about 40 per cent of transit operating costs.
