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Politics & Government

Coming in August: New Fares for AC Transit Bus Riders

Find AC Transit on Twitter at http://twitter.com/rideact.

Fares will go up for AC Transit bus riders come Aug. 1. It's only the first of a series of automatic fare increases that will take place over the next 10 years.

In August, the basic adult fare will increase by 10 cents to $2.10. The fare for youth, seniors and persons with disabilities will increase by 5 cents to $1.05. The monthly pass will go up only for youth, from $15 to $20.

Transbay fares rise 20 cents to $4.20 for adults, and rise 10 cents to $2.10 for youth, seniors and the disabled. Below is a full list of changes to the bus fares effective Aug. 1.

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According to AC Transit, the increases are expected to bump annual revenues by $2.4 million – or 29,000 additional hours of bus service.

The decision by the AC Transit Board of Directors in May to adopt the 10-year policy stemmed from the need to close a budget gap of $14.9 million, and guarantee future and "predictable" sources of funding.

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"We're left with few other choices given the volatility of current funding sources," said Interim General Manager Mary King in a notice released by AC Transit.

Fares are scheduled to rise by 25 cents every five years at two- and three-year intervals. The next increase is scheduled for 2013. According to the AC Transit Board, the agency will re-evaluate its budget before implementing future increases.

Cash 31-Day Pass Adult (19-64) $2.10 $80 available on Clipper only Youth (5-18) $1.05 $20 available on Youth Clipper card only Senior (65+) & Disabled $1.05 $20 calendar-month

TRANSBAY

Cash 31-Day Pass Adult (19-64) $4.20 $151.20 available on Clipper only Youth (5-18) $2.10 Not available Senior (65+) & Disabled $2.10 Not available

TRANSFERS

Adult Youth Senior & Disabled Local Bus-to-Bus $0.25 $0.25 $0.25 Local Bart-to-Bus $1.85 $0.80 $0.80 Local-to-Transbay, Bus-to-Bus Free Free Free

Will the new fares affect your bus riding habits or your budget? Tell us in the comments.

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