Community Corner

BART Approves Hikes In Fares and Parking Fees

Inflation-based fare hikes will begin in 2014 and will pay for new trains and system improvements.

It'll cost BART patrons a little more to park their car and ride the train in the coming years.

The BART board of directors today approved a plan for inflation-based fare hikes and demand-based parking fee increases.

BART officials said the extra revenue will be used for new trains and improvements to transit system operations.

Find out what's happening in Livermorewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The first fare increase will take effect on Jan. 1, 2014. Other hikes will be implemented in 2016, 2018 and 2020.

The increases will be based on the rate of inflation for the prior two years minus 0.5 percent.

Find out what's happening in Livermorewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The 2014 will be 5.2 percent. BART officials expect the fare hikes to generate an extra $325 million over the next eight years.

BART's average fare right now is $3.59. The 5.2 percent increase would add 19 cents to that ticket.

The BART board also approved a plan for demand-based parking fees. All transit parking lots will now have a base fee of $1. Heavily used lots could have their fees rise by 50 cents every six months up to a maximum of $3 (except for West Oakland, which will have a maximum of $5).

Lots that have less than 95 percent capacity would experience a 50-cent drop in the parking fee. Currently, it costs BART $21.7 million a year to maintain and provide security at the lots. The parking fees bring in $15.6 million a year.

The new parking fee structure is expected to bring in $6 million the first year and $10 million annually in subsequent years.


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