BY JEANNE HOVANEC, Times of Northwest Indiana Correspondent
CHESTERTON | The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District on Friday approved a 2 percent fare increase for tickets on the South Shore commuter rail line.
The increase, slated to take effect Aug. 1, will be followed by another 2 percent increase on Aug. 1, 2007. The last time NICTD increased its fares was in 2003, when they increased 10 percent.
The increase should be no shock to South Shore riders, who were the target of an intense NICTD marketing campaign to raise awareness of the proposed fare increase in the last several months.
Riders have been given the chance to comment on the increase at five public hearings held by NICTD and through NICTD's Web site. Notices were posted in area newspapers as well as in passenger cars and South Shore ticket offices.
According to NICTD, 26 passengers attended the public hearings.
"With all the increases that we have dealt with recently, the two percent increase is not asking a lot," said David Niezgodski, a NICTD board of directors member from St. Joseph County.
Ridership on the South Shore increased significantly after the Dan Ryan construction project kicked off in April. Ridership in the first four months of the year was up 12 percent over the same period last year, according to NICTD.
Capacity and train frequency continue to be a concern for passengers. In a summary of comments from the public hearings and Web site submissions, the most common complaint is the lack of seats on rush-hour trains, leaving many passengers standing. Also voiced were a need for increased frequency of trains and more room for strollers and luggage.
NICTD does not see these complaints going away, even after the Dan Ryan project is finished, and continues to push for additional funds and grants to purchase extra train cars.
"I think the low amount of people who attended those meetings is a good indication of our marketing ability to get the word out and keep our passengers informed," said Will Smith Jr., NICTD board member from Lake County. "When people evaluate this fare increase as opposed to everything else increasing, like gasoline, they will consider if it is adversary to their pocket books.
"But we want the area to understand that this transportation continues the opportunity for growth in our economy."