I feel like I’m up on my current events. I read the Express everyday so I can discuss Pearls Before Swine and the Blog Log with everyone on the Metro. (You should hear the deliberations as the entire car solves the Sudoku puzzle together!) I generally watch the first 20 minutes of Good Morning America and read the headlines on both the Washington Post and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette websites. However, I’m in my own little bubble when it comes to local news. I usually have no idea what’s going on in the DC area unless someone tells me. So when my colleague asked me about the proposed fare increase on Fairfax Connector buses, which I ride to and from work everyday, I had no idea what she was talking about. Perhaps it’s that bubble thing, but I haven’t seen or heard anything about this. When Metro fares or Metrobus fares go up, the news seems to be everywhere. While the 20,000 Connector riders a day is much smaller than those who use Metro and Metrobus, this is still a fairly significant number.
I visited the Fairfax Connector website, and sure enough, it looks like the fares are going up. The proposed increase would take effect on January 4, 2009 and would be the first increase since 2004. After a little digging, I found that Robert Thomson, AKA Dr. Gridlock, also posted information and his thoughts about the increase on his Washington Post Get There blog. My question is this: are the Fairfax Connector folks going to let its riders know about the hearings set to get public comments on the proposal? I posed this question to Dr. Gridlock, but he didn’t know whether there would be flyers or posters on the buses to inform us passengers. I guess I could have contacted Fairfax Connector about this but, well, asking one person was too much for one day.
For more information about the proposed fare increase visit the Fairfax Connector website, or do what I didn’t and actually contact them with any questions or comments.
Oh, if there are any other Fairfax Connector riders out there who happen to read this, did you know about the increase prior to seeing it here? It would be really cool if Sideburn Guy or Smoking Man read my blog.
I don't know about the fare increase but I love the image of a busload of people trying to solve a Soduko together.
ReplyDeleteActually, the fare increase is only going to be a quarter a day, so it won't be too bad.
ReplyDeleteYou mean that the passengers on your bus don't all get along and work together to solve all of the world's problems?
Do realize that the quarter is not per day, but per ride and amounts to a 25% fare increase? Also if you don't use a smarttrip card, the increase is 0.35.
ReplyDeleteIf you take the bus to and from work, you are looking at 0.50 to 0.70 more each day or at least $10.00 more each month.