RTA fares set to increase in August

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority trustees approved fare increases on Tuesday and the RTA general manager presented trustees with a revised service plan.

• The bus/rapid cash fare will increase from the current $2.25 to $2.50, and then to $2.75 in 2018.
• Senior/Disabled fares will increase from the current $1.00 to $1.25, and then to $1.35 in 2018.
• Park-N-Ride Bus will increase from the current $2.50 to $2.75, and $3.25 in 2018.
• The regular All-Day pass will increase from $5.00 to $5.50 in August and $6.00 in 2018.
• The Monthly Pass for bus, rapid and HealthLine will increase from $85.00 to $95.00 and then to $105.00 in 2018.
• Paratransit fares will increase from the current $2.25 to $2.50, and then to $2.75 in 2017, $3.00 in 2018 and $3.25 in 2019. In addition, Paratransit customers, in the adopted proposal, will be able to purchase All-Day, 7-Day and Monthly passes at a slightly higher rate than regular fares. Those passes have not been available previously. 

• Route #2 on East 79th Street -- originally slated for elimination due to low ridership -- was maintained. However, the adopted plan calls for the current schedule to be adjusted to begin service one hour later, at approximately 5:15 a.m., and end one hour earlier, at approximately 7 p.m.
• The #8 Cedar route proposal was to eliminate weekday service after 6 p.m. and to eliminate all weekend service. The current plan is to operate weekdays and weekends until 9 p.m.
• The extensions to Lakeview Tower and Tremont Pointe of the #81 Tremont route, which were proposed to be eliminated due to the high cost per rider, will be retained on days and hours to be determined soon. 
• The Waterfront Line on weekdays will operate every 15 minutes during rush hour and every 30 minutes during the mid-day, with service ending at 7 p.m., except on summer Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.