By Daniel Brock
dbrock@scbiznews.com
Published July 29, 2010
The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority, facing almost certain fare increases, route reductions or a combination of the two, is looking for public feedback on what likely will prove to be a series of unpopular moves.
The agency’s board was presented a menu of recommendations last week aimed at bridging a $1.4 million budget gap caused by a decrease in half-cent county sales tax funding.
“We have to do something,” Patterson Smith, the board’s chairman, said at a meeting.
Officials said they’re hoping to gauge whether riders would rather pay more for current services or have routes reduced while prices remain flat.
The public can offer feedback in several ways:
- Filling out an online public survey
- E-mailing CARTA
- Attending one of three public hearings:
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| Aug. 5 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Charleston County Main Public Library auditorium, |
A 16% across-the-board fare increase, route eliminations and discontinuation of the CARTA@Night program and Sunday service were among the recommendations from authority officials at the transit system’s monthly meeting.
The proposed moves, a result of CARTA’s quarterly performance review, would mean a budget gain of between $792,000 and $1.1 million next year.
The agency last raised fares in October 2008, when a 20% systemwide increase was implemented. CARTA was able to avoid similar changes last year, while 84% of transit systems across the country could not, officials said.
Reach Daniel Brock at 843-849-3144.
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