LYNX Fares Changing Jan. 6

LYNX Board of Directors approved a fare increase effective Jan. 6, 2008 for many of the agency’s services.

The cost of a single-ride fare, for example, will be $1.75, an increase of 25 cents over the previous fare.

Similar increases were approved for other programs, including the 7-Day Pass ($14), 30-Day Pass ($44), Express Service Pass ($3) as well as ACCESS LYNX fares like the ADA fare inside the ¾ mile limit ($3.50) and outside the ¾ mile limit ($6).

Fares unaffected by the increase include Medicaid; Transportation Disadvantaged; and PickUpLine fares, all of which remain the same.

The Board of Directors also approved the elimination of Link 33, a poor-performing route in Seminole County.

“We realize that raising fares is a burden for many of our riders, but this is a business decision and there really wasn’t much we could do about it,’’ LYNX Chief Executive Officer Linda Watson said. “We are being hit by funding cuts from our primary partners on one side and increased costs for fuel, insurance and equipment on the other side.’’

LYNX has not raised fares in nearly three years. The last increase was in March 2005 and the Board of Directors made it clear then that periodic increases would take place unless the agency received a dedicated funding source.

LYNX has avoided increases since that time by instituting cost-saving measures in several departments and receiving a large increase in funding from Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties in 2006.

However, that situation changed in the last year and LYNX was looking at a budget deficit of $1.3 million if it didn’t increase fares.

The price of fuel has the most noticeable effect on the budget. It has gone from $2.21 a gallon to $2.79 a gallon.

Another huge factor was expanding the size of the fleet to help improve on-time performance and increase frequency. LYNX fleet grew from 238 buses to 290 buses this year. The cost of those buses increased from $286,000 to $336,000.

LYNX Board of Directors approved the new fare structure, which includes the introduction of a 7-Day and 30-Day Unlimited Pass. That pass will give riders unlimited access to LYNX fixed-route, express and PickUpLine services.

“The Unlimited Pass, like the regular 7-Day and 30-Day Passes, is a chance for our frequent riders to save some money over buying single-ride fares,’’ Watson said. “We’re trying to find as many ways as possible to keep transit affordable for the people who really need it.’’

A complete list of the new fare schedule is available in the new edition of LYNX schedule book, available Dec. 21.