RTA Riders Say No to Fare Hikes
Local Funding Needed to Restore RTA Service
Cleveland, OH , March 26, 2018
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Riders from Clevelanders for Public Transit will attend the RTA board meeting tomorrow to support delaying fare hikes scheduled to take effect this August. RTA has recently acknowledged what riders already know: the quality of life in Greater Cleveland is declining, with over one third of residents living below the poverty level. RTA’s board must act not only to reduce fares, but also to place a levy on the ballot this year for more local funding.
RTA riders have endured a death spiral of ever increasing fares for continually diminished service. Additional local investment and rider friendly policies are needed to reverse the death spiral. The death spiral of public transit results in the decline of our entire region’s economy. As the Fund for Our Economic Future has stated, bringing “jobs to people” is only half of the story; RTA must also be able to bring “people to jobs.” Northeast Ohio will continue to decline without adequate transit.
At just 39.5 million rides per year, RTA ridership reached an all-time low in 2017; falling by more than 30 percent since 2007. During that time, fares have nearly doubled while service has decreased by nearly 25 percent. Today RTA Riders pay a larger share of their income for transit than any other mid-sized city in the country. RTA’s board must act to reverse this death spiral.
“While my paycheck doesn’t increase, the fares just go up and up” said Marques Manus, RTA rider and member of Clevelanders for Public Transit. “These fares make it harder to pay my bills. Enough is enough.”
Clevelanders for Public Transit’s Fair Fares platform offers solutions to the issues facing transit in Cuyahoga County. Given that the State of Ohio has not adequately funded public transit for years, Clevelanders for Public Transit supports transit funding at the local level. RTA’s board must act to place a levy on the ballot this year.
RTA’s board will vote on delaying the planned fare increase, tomorrow, March 27 at 9 a.m. at RTA’s Main Office, 1240 W. 6th St. Clevelanders for Public Transit will provide public comment at the conclusion of the meeting.