Every nickel counts in troubled economic times, and several groups of riders starting next month will be paying slightly less to travel on Arlington Transit (ART) buses than they might have expected.
Arlington County Board members on June 15 are slated to cut by 5 cents the previously approved increases in fares for seniors, those with disabilities and county students.
County Board members earlier had increased the fare for those groups from $1 to $1.15, based on a 12.5-percent increase approved for Metrobus service by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
But because of the way the increase was calculated, Metrobus fares for those groups will only increase to $1.10. To keep the two transit systems on the same cost scale, county staff is asking Arlington officials to cut fares for ART bus service to the same amount.
The planned increase in the standard ART fare from $2 to $2.25 per ride will remain unchanged. All changes will kick in July 1.
County officials say the change will cause a “small” reduction in total fare revenue, and no budget adjustments are needed for now.
