Published: June 24, 2008 11:05 pm         

Fuel costs leading to higher bus fares

Officials say increase of about 25 cents likely coming soon

Bus fares in Terre Haute will likely increase soon, local transportation officials said in a public meeting Tuesday.

The regular bus fare, $1, may increase by around 25 cents, said Brad Miller, transportation director for the City of Terre Haute. This would be the first fare increase since 2005, he said.

Higher fuel costs are one big reason fares will likely increase, Miller said. Next year’s fuel budget for the system will be $200,000, Miller said, compared with $50,000 budgeted for fuel in 2004.

This year’s fuel budget was set at $175,000, Miller noted, adding that will not be enough money. “I’m going to run short,” he said.

The price of monthly bus passes also likely will increase, Miller said.

A public information meeting to discuss fare increases will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 30, Miller said. “We’re not looking at a huge increase” in fares, he said.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, transit officials announced there will be reduced fares for “off peak” bus service hours. Federal law requires the off peak fares, Miller said. “It’s something that has to be done.”

There are around 400 day-to-day users of the Terre Haute bus service, said Patricia Macke, transit planner for the West Central Indiana Economic Development District.

Monthly bus usage figures are significantly up this year compared with 2007, according to figures presented at the meeting. Between 25,000 and 30,000 rides have been provided by the system each month this year compared with 15,000 and 20,000 monthly rides during the same period last year, the figures show.

Rides provided to Indiana State University students, faculty and staff are included in this year’s figures, transit officials said. This is the first year of a new contract with ISU for bus service covered by student fees, Miller said. The student fees are based on a charge of $15 per student per semester, he said.

Rides for people with disabilities also are significantly up this year, Macke said.

The federal government provides 50 percent of operational expenses for the Terre Haute transit system, Miller said. Most of the rest of the operational funding comes from the city budget. Fares typically account for just a small percentage of the transit system’s budget, Miller said.

“There is no transit system anywhere that isn’t heavily subsidized,” he said.

For more information on bus routes, schedules and fares, see the city’s Web page at www.terrehaute.in.gov.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.