Annapolis Raises Bus Fares

Annapolis City Council unanimously voted Monday night to increase the bus fares by 50 cents. Starting next month, it will be $2 a ride.

City Transportation Director Richard Newell said the increase will bring the city into compliance with a state mandate that says 35 percent of the transit system's operating cost must come from fares.

The new fares will go into effect April 18.

Newell said the increase is only a portion of his plan for the department. Over the past year, he also has made several changes to curtail costs.

He said when he became director in October 2010 he needed to change the way the transportation department operated. Some of those changes included hiring part-time drivers, which allowed him to eliminate overtime costs.

The department also hired part-time mechanics, enabling the city to perform vehicle maintenance in-house. That also meant it didn't have to pay retail cost for pricey repairs, he said.

The move also allowed the city to start a preventative maintenance program, Newell said.

"Now we're in a position where it's easier to maintain what we have," he said.