Metra tickets could spike by more than 30 percent

Metra riders can expect significant fare hikes if scenarios offered at Friday’s board meeting are officially adopted.

The increase could be as much as an average of 32 percent for 10-ride passes, an average of 29.8 percent for monthly passes or an average of 17 percent for one-way tickets.

“Never before in our history have we been faced with a challenge of this magnitude,” CEO Alex Clifford said. Under the proposal, a commuter going from Naperville to downtown Chicago would pay $162 for a monthly pass instead of $128. Or someone traveling from Elburn to Chicago would pay $204.75 for a monthly pass instead of $164.75.

“We’re still fine-tuning this,” Clifford said. “This isn’t an easy decision. It’s very tough.”

Metra board directors also discussed — but ultimately rejected — reducing service. They shifted between saying the agency needed to be run like a business and recognizing that eliminating trains hurts riders.

“We need to maintain what we have now,” Director Jack Partelow of Naperville said.

“Some people who are riding the trains that have to be cut would have no other alternatives,” Director and Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder said.

The agency is facing a $100 million deficit by 2013. In 2012, the projected budget shortfall is nearly $65 million.

To meet that challenge, the board discussed a number of preliminary fare hike proposals.

Under one scenario, someone buying a one-way ticket from Arlington Heights to Chicago who pays $4.50 now would hand over $5.25.

Or, a 10-ride pass from Geneva to Chicago costing $48.05 would jump to $60.75.

Currently 10-ride pass holders essentially pay for just eight full-price rides. Metra staff members suggested changing this to nine rides in 2012 and charging full price in 2013.

Board Director Mike McCoy, former Kane County chairman, objected. “I’m not 100 percent sold on 10 for 10 in 2013,” he said. Clifford promised to re-examine that recommendation.

Although Metra has made ends meet in the past by borrowing from its capital fund, that practice is unsustainable, officials say.

“We should not use capital to support operating,” Director Jim LaBelle, former Lake County chairman said.

Among the challenges facing the commuter rail agency are volatile diesel fuel costs, which have bounced from $2.24 a gallon up to $3.33 and then down to $3.03 in a one-year period.

Clifford said a fare spike would enable the agency to stay in the black.

The increases will go to public hearings on the budget later this fall. The agency also is considering eliminating young adult fares, rounding tickets to the nearest 25 cents and exchanging the weekend pass for a $7 pass valid either on a Saturday or a Sunday. But several directors balked at changes to the weekend pass, and it#146;s likely that won#146;t fly.#147;The weekend pass is a great thing #8212; it gets people on our trains,#148; Director Jack Schaffer of Cary said, adding he didn#146;t want to #147;cut Chicago off to the suburbs.#148;However, Clifford noted that the weekend pass adjustments would have netted $2 million in savings and that would need to be recouped elsewhere.