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RT Board Approves Fare
Increase Effective January

In response to an $18.3 million loss in state funds for Fiscal Year 2009, the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) Board of Directors recently approved a staff recommendation to increase bus, light rail and complementary paratransit fares effective Thursday, January 1, 2009.

The new fares will increase the Basic fare by 25 cents (to $2.25), the Basic daily pass by
$1 (to $6) and the Basic monthly pass by $15 (to $100). Discount fares will increase accordingly.

The fare for complementary paratransit services operated by Paratransit, Inc. will increase by 50 cents (to $4.50). The Paratransit monthly pass price will not increase and will remain at $100.

Bus & Light Rail Fares	Current Fare	New Fare
Basic Fare	$2.00	$2.25
Discount Fare	$1.00	$1.10
Central City Fare	$1.00	$1.10
Discount Central City Fare	$0.50	$0.55
Shuttle Service Fare	$1.00	$1.10
The Neighborhood Ride Fare	$1.00	$1.10
Discount Shuttle Service Fare	$0.50	$0.55
Discount Neighborhood Ride Fare	$0.50	$0.55
Transfer Fee	$0.25	$0.50
Discount Transfer Fee	$0.10	$0.25
Route Deviation Fare	$1.00	$1.10

Passes and Stickers	Current Fare	New Fare
Basic Daily Pass	$5.00	$6.00
Discount Daily Pass	$2.50	$3.00
Basic Monthly Pass	$85.00	$100.00
Basic Semi-Monthly Pass	$42.50	$50.00
Senior/Disabled Monthly Sticker	$42.50	$50.00
Senior/Disabled Semi-Monthly Sticker	$21.25	$25.00
Student Monthly Sticker	$42.50	$50.00
Student Semi-Monthly Sticker	$21.25	$25.00

Ticket & Pass Booklets	Current Fare	New Fare
10 Basic Fare Tickets	$20.00	$22.50
10 Discount Fare Tickets	$10.00	$11.00
10 Basic Daily Passes	$50.00	$60.00
10 Discount Daily Passes	$25.00	$30.00

Paratransit	Current Fare	New Fare
Basic Fare	$4.00	$4.50
Monthly Pass	$100.00	$100.00

Due to the fare increase, RT light rail fare vending machines will not accept pre-paid passes and tickets displaying 2008 pricing (June 30, 2010 expiration date) on or after January 1, 2009. Light rail passengers must exchange these Basic and Discount daily passes or single-ride tickets for new fare media. Bus passengers may continue to use pre-paid passes and tickets displaying 2008 pricing (June 30, 2010 expiration date) on buses only by paying the additional fare.

Beginning Monday, December 15, 2008, RT will conduct exchanges of fare media (June 30, 2010 expiration date only) with additional payment at RT�s Customer Service and Sales Center located at 1225 R Street (adjacent to the 13^th Street light rail station) in downtown Sacramento. The Sales Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (closed Sundays and most holidays).

The Board of Directors also approved the elimination of the Paratransit Group Pass effective Monday, December 1, 2008. Passengers who qualify for complementary paratransit demand-response service and possess a Paratransit, Inc. photo ID card will no longer be able to ride the RT bus and light rail system free of charge. Paratransit-eligible passengers may apply for an RT Disabled photo ID card or provide other accepted proof of disability to ride at the Discount fare.

Other actions taken by the Board of Directors include reducing expenditures by $2 million, budgeting for increased fare revenue due to increased ridership and fare adjustments, and increasing revenue from other sources.

�We did everything we could to avoid cutting service and increasing fares. Although service reductions were avoided, RT was forced to raise fares. RT could not absorb an $18.3 million raid by the state of California without asking our riders to pay more,� Mike Wiley, General Manager/CEO, stated.

Sacramento Regional Transit District