Bus Fare Increase Proposal

by Jamie Adam

Windsorites who take the bus may be looking at increased fares in 2013 due to a proposed cut in the bus company’s budget.

Transit Windsor and many other city-funded agencies can expect to have their budgets cut by 10 per cent in 2013 in order to hold the line on property taxes.

On Sept. 5 the City of Windsor released a report regarding the 2013 budget on its website.  The report states, “The Council’s top budget priority for 2013 is to continue to hold the line on property taxes” and all government-funded departments are being asked to “prepare budget reductions totalling 10 per cent of their 2012 net budget.”

General manager of Transit Windsor Penny Williams said she hopes the public will be understanding about the raised fare.

“People are more apt to be more acceptable of a fare increase especially in these times of raising fuel prices and the insurance costs and they recognize that everyone’s costs are going up,” Williams said.

An alternative to raising fares would be making a cut in services.  Williams said fuel and maintenance are major expenses and would have to be reduced with the budget unless they raise the bus fare.

Sierra St. Louis, 18, is a full-time visual arts student at the University of Windsor.  She takes the bus to and from school over an hour each way and relies on it as transportation in her free time.  St. Louis said the schedules need to be improved if fares go up.

“It would be one thing if our transit system was more developed, but buses stop running at 1 a.m. and even as early as seven at night on Sundays.  They are packed like a tin of sardines because they barely run,” said St. Louis.  “This is beyond ridiculous. If fares increase, we should be getting more for our buck.”

Felicia Rustico, 18, is a Child and Youth Work student at St. Clair College. She relies on Transit WIndsor for transportation to school and in her personal life as well.  She said she does not support the raised bus fare as Williams had hoped the public would.

“Last year it was $1.70 and now it’s $2.50.  Is it going to be $5 next,” said Rustico.  “People might as well just drive or ride bikes because taking the bus is becoming just as expensive as driving a car.”

A look through the “Transit Windsor” tag on Twitter shows that nearly every tweet regarding the transportation serivce is negative.  There is an account that deals solely with complaints about the busing system.  One rider is particularly angry.

User “‏@draeda87” tweets, “Daytime Windsor bus is DISGUSTING and FILTHY.”

Some of the other departments affected by the potential budget cut include Windsor Police Services, the Windsor Public Library, the Windsor Essex Health Unit, the Art Gallery of Windsor and the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority.  All departments funded by the government will receive cuts.

City council will be continuing to develop 2013’s salary budget until Oct. 12.