The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District board on Friday approved a South Shore fare increase effective July 1 but deferred action on raising the penalty for purchasing tickets on board.
The fare increase will range from 10 to 15 percent at individual stations.
For example, the increase will boost the current $5.25 fare from Hammond to Chicago to $6 for the one-way trip. The current South Bend to Chicago fare of $11.75 will increase to $13. Other stations will see similar increases.
The South Shore's last fare increase was 5 percent in 2012. The board of the Chicago region's Metra commuter rail system approved an 11 percent fare hike last November.
The South Shore fare increase will produce about $1.5 million in additional annual revenue for NICTD, according to NICTD General Manager Michael Noland.
At Noland's request, the board deferred action on a proposed hike in the penalty for purchasing tickets on board, mainly out of concern for riders who might not be able to use ticket vending machines because they lack credit or debit cards.
The board also heard a preliminary report on how to allow bikes on the South Shore, which is currently believed to be the only U.S. commuter railroad to ban bikes on all trains at all times.
Allowing bikes on specially dedicated cars running up to twice a day in each direction on weekends and holidays from April to October would be feasible, according to a report delivered to the board by consultants from the Quandel Group, of Chicago.
But not until the year 2021, when a five year bikes on train pilot program would start.
That drew startled responses from at least a couple of board members, who said the sooner the better when it comes to getting bikes on trains, despite some potential difficulties outlined in the report.
"Initially, it seemed like such a basic and benign type of thing, a bike on a train," said board member Mike Repay.
One difficulty outlined by consultants was the time and effort it would take to get bikes up stairs on to trains at stations that do not have high level boarding platforms. But Repay said given the general fitness of bike riders that should be no problem.
Consultant Dan Schulte said the biggest reason for the delay would be to await the purchase of more double-decker train cars, which could be configured to hold up to 30 bikes each and make loading much swifter.
"I agree, why haven't we done this yesterday," said board member Mark Catanzarite. "But I can see there is so much that goes into it."
A five-year pilot program for bikes on trains would cost about $9.9 million, according to the report.
No action was taken at Friday's meeting, but a timeline released earlier by Quandel shows the board could settle on a preferred alternative this summer and public meetings could be held before a draft report is released.