Metro Transit fare increases in effect today
Posted Sep 30, 2013 10:58:50 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Metro Transit fare increases go into effect today.
It now costs adults $2.50 to ride the bus, while seniors and kids age five to 15 will now pay $1.75.
A MetroPass has also gone up and will put you back $78, up from $70.
Halifax Regional Municipality spokesperson Janet Bryson says the fare increase will help offset new technology costs coming to the bus system.
“Potentially GoTime could be replaced with a texting version rather than calling in to a telephone number. Perhaps you could text the number in and then get back information on when the next bus will arrive,” said Bryson.
Bryson says Metro Transit is also looking at bringing in electronic fares.
“We can change fair payment to an electronic card or something of that nature which will make it much easier for customers.”
She says the existing system was developed in 2006 and is out of date.
“It’s not capable of taking on all these extra functions that people are seeing with some other transit systems,” said Bryson.
$36 million is being invested over three years towards new technology, including a tracking system which will tell you where your bus is along the route.
“This new system will also enable bus stop annunciation which has also been requested to us by the visually-impaired community to assist them when using our system,” Bryson said.
Seniors will still be able to ride free on Tuesdays between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and after 6 p.m.
