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| By G. Michael Dobbs Managing Editor SPRINGFIELD Come July 1, the riders of Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) buses and the paratransit vans will be paying a little bit more in order to address the rising cost of fuel. The PVTA Advisory Board voted Wednesday to increase the fees of a regular bus ride from $1 to $1.25. A seven-day pass will increase from $10 to $12.50 and a 31-day pass will go from $36 to $45. For the elderly and the disabled the former rate of 50 cents increased a dime. For children from ages six to 12 there is no increase and the fare remains at 75 cents. Children under the age of six remain free of charge. For paratransit riders, the rate of $2 for a ride within a town and one adjacent community will go to $2.50. Outside an adjacent community, the rate increases from $2.50 to $3 and out of the county trips the rate goes from $3 to $3.50. This is first rate increase for the PVTA since 2003. Jill Holliday, the PVTA director of marketing, told Reminder Publications that state-wide three of the regional transit authorities have higher fares than the PVTA's new fare structure and four have the same or higher rates for the paratransit service. The fee increase came after nine public hearings in which riders could voice their opinion. "The testimony, although limited, was largely understanding of our position and in some cases were supportive," Mary MacInnes, the PVTA Administrator said in a statement. Holliday said the state is currently reviewing the possibility of restoring the PVTA's status as having the Full Faith and Credit of the Commonwealth behind the PVTA's borrowing. Holiday said the PVTA pays higher interest rates for its loans because it does not have this status. Borrowing is essential to the PVTA because it doesn't get its state funding until after the close of a fiscal year. The Senate has a clause in its FY09 budget that would restore the PVTA's status. Holliday said if the status were reinstated, any savings that would be seen through better interest rates would go toward the deficit created by the rising cost of fuel. The PVTA had budgeted $3.30 a gallon. The Advisory Board voted to meet in three months to review the status of the Full Faith and Credit of the Commonwealth. |