PVTA Board

Approves Passenger Fare

 Increase

May 5^th Fare Hike First Since Year 2000  

Petersburg, WV – April 10, 2008 – Increasing passenger fares is a road no transit agency wants to take, and Potomac Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) had managed to steer clear of a fare increase for eight years.  

             Faced with mounting fuel and other operating costs, however, the PVTA Board voted last week to increase all PVTA passenger fares effective May 5, 2008. The process to review a fare increase was initiated by PVTA in February and a public meeting was held on March 18 in Petersburg to consider the impact of a fare increase on PVTA riders. Although no opposition to the increase was voiced at the public meeting, PVTA officials weighed all options thoroughly before voting to approve the fare increase at its April 2^nd meeting.

             After the meeting, PVTA Board President, Lee Thompson, said that, “Our board of directors could no longer avoid the inevitable conclusion that some portion of our rising costs had to be passed along to our customers. We did not take this step lightly, and we want every current and future PVTA rider to know that we spend our dollars as efficiently as possible.”  

             Over the past six years, PVTA has experienced a 400%, or $160,000 increase in fuel costs.            

Under the current PVTA fare structure, passengers pay a $1.00 boarding fee which covers the first five (5) miles of transportation, and $.05 per mile thereafter. Beginning on Monday, May 5, the PVTA boarding fee will increase to $1.25 and the mileage fee goes up to $.07 per mile after the first five (5) miles of service. In addition, the PVTA $5.00 discount pass will entitled the purchaser to $5.50 worth of PVTA service. Under the current PVTA fare structure, $5.00 discount passes provided $6.00 in transportation service.     

             Thompson added that,  “The board struggled with this decision, but, ultimately, we felt there was no other choice.  We have not adjusted fares for eight years, and the costs have risen to a point that we had to act.” 

             The year 2000 change had increased PVTA boarding fees by 25 cents.