Despite immense financial pressures, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's board of directors blocked discussion this week of a proposal that would increased Metrorail fare by 45 cents and Metrobus fare by 25 cents in January.
But as good as the news sounds, it may be too early for Metro riders to celebrate. Mired in $173 million of debt, Metro has considered the full gamut of options, the most worrisome of which include service cuts after midnight on weekends. Even worse, the board has not ruled out the possibility of future fare hikes, so riders should prepare for the worst.
If anything, Metro's financial woes indicate a much larger problem. Arguably, thousands of the riders who rely on the rail and bus system live in Virginia and Maryland. Perhaps if these two states, along with the D.C. government, increased their funding and worked closer with Metro's board of directors, the riders would not have to pay the price.
That price is another issue of concern. The proposed fare hikes, which would not go into effect until next year, were anything but gradual. Considering how expensive Metro (and its alternatives) can be, the increase would hit hard for most riders. Certainly, Metro should do what it must to keep the system going, but it needs to keep its passengers in mind. The changes may add up over time.
Finally, WMATA can learn a lot from other transportation systems. Metro is neither the first nor the last form of public transportation to fall victim to a budget crisis. As other cities have done, perhaps Metro should solicit advertisements. Surely, ads on the walls and windows are eyesores, but the images are much less abrasive than weekend service cuts or price increases, both of which surely benefit no one.
