City to hike bus fares, starting Jan. 1 - Basic fare jumps 15 cents to $2.55, but yearly seniors' passes won't take a hit

Hamiltonians will pay 15 cents more for bus fares beginning Jan. 1.

An increase that will see fares climb from $2.40 to $2.55 passed with a narrow 9-7 vote at last night's city council meeting. Tickets will also go up 15 cents to $2 and monthly passes will climb to $86 from $79.

Yearly seniors' passes will remain the same price.

The hike is expected to bump revenue by $1.5 million, an amount that will offset the HSR's estimated $1.6-million loss this year and a predicted $3.4-million shortfall next year.

Council initially rejected both a 10-cent fare increase and a 20-cent increase at a special budget transit meeting in late October. Though most councillors supported a hike, their votes were split between a 10-cent or 20-cent increase.

The 15-cent hike was a "compromise," said Mayor Fred Eisenberger.

"In a perfect world, I would have liked to see 20 cents," he said. "Twenty cents is what's necessary, and 15 cents is a reasonable compromise."