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MTS Approves Service Cuts, Fare Increases
March 28, 2009SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System approved $4.7 million in service cuts and forwarded a proposal to increase monthly pass prices, it was announced Friday.
The service cuts and increased fares are needed to offset a $14.4 million drop in funding from the state, according to MTS.
The MTS board approved the service adjustments at its Thursday meeting.
The board also agreed to forward a proposal to the San Diego Association of Governments to increase the price of a monthly pass to $72 for adults, $36 for youth and $18 for seniors, the disabled and Medicare passengers.
Services changes will take effect June 14, according to MTS. If approved by SANDAG, the price for a monthly pass would go up on July 1.
"We never want to reduce service or raise fares, but we were left with no choice after the state decided to eliminate all state transit assistance funding," said Paul Jablonski, MTS' chief executive officer. "We have worked very hard to ensure that the changes we made leave everyone with choices to continue to ride MTS services."
Service changes include:
#
# Route 86, which serves University City, will be replaced by the Super Loop service
# Routes 14 in Mission Valley-La Mesa-Allied Gardens, 84 in Point Loma and the 871/872 in El Cajon are being discontinued on weekends -- except for the Hotel Circle portion of Route 14 and the southern portion of route 871/872
# the frequency of Express Routes 20 will be reduced to 60 minutes north of Mira Mesa on Saturdays and north of Kearny Mesa on Sundays
# Premium Express service will be discontinued the Friday after Thanksgiving and from Christmas Eve through Jan. 2
Blue Line Trolley train lengths will be reduced when possible and Saturday night "Owl" service will be discontinued, with the last trip from Old Town into downtown San Diego at 12:15 a.m.
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