AC Transit Fares Increase in August

Ready your extra nickels and dimes — AC Transit bus fares increase on August 1.

Here's a breakdown of the new fares: 

• Local adult fare will be $2.10
• Local fare for youth (age 5 - 18), seniors (age 65 and up) and those with disabilities will be $1.05
• Adult transbay fare will be $4.20
• Transbay fare for youth, seniors and those with disabilities will be $2.10

Additionally, the price of the local youth 31-Day pass will be $20 instead of $15, and the transbay adult 31-Day pass will cost $151.20, up from $132.50. 

The cost of the local adult 31-Day pass and the senior/disabled RTC monthly pass will stay the same.

Previously, local bus fare was an even $2 for adults and $1 for youth, seniors and those with disabilities. Transbay fares to San Francisco and the Peninsula were $4 and $2 for those groups, respectively.

This increase is the first in a ten-year schedule of fare increases outlined by the transit agency, designed to raise the base adult fare by 25 cents every five years. "Developing a ten-year schedule of fare increases creates predictability for passengers, for the District, and for other agencies that work with AC Transit," a memo (PDF) from a June 22 AC Transit Board of Directors meeting read.

It also said that planning fare increases in advance "obviates the need for very large fare increases at one time."

The next planned increase will be in 2013, raising fares by 15 cents for adults and five cents for youth, seniors and those with disabilities, according to the memo.

This fare change is expected to increase the agency's revenue by $2.4 million for the 2011-12 fiscal year, according to a memo (PDF) from the AC Transit Board of Directors meeting on May 11. The agency still faces a projected deficit of more than $18 million.