AC Transit wants to hear from you! The bus district is developing a comprehensive fare policy and is seeking input from the public before a formal proposal is made to the Board of Directors. Topics under discussion include goals, principles, pass pricing, transfer rules, timing and level of fare changes, and more. Among the significant questions for consideration:

--Should AC Transit establish and maintain a fare structure with consistent relationships among the various fare types (adult, youth, senior/disabled) and fare media (cash, passes)? (At present, pass prices are not a consistent multiple of the cash price for each fare type.)

--Should AC Transit gradually raise the prices of youth 31-day and senior/disabled monthly passes to reach a consistent multiple of the cash price? (At present, adult passes are priced at 40 times the cash price, while youth and senior/disabled passes are priced at 15 and 20 times the cash price, respectively.)

--Should AC Transit adopt a multi-year schedule of specific fare increases to provide cost and revenue predictability? (At present, fare increases are proposed, considered, and adopted individually, at various intervals.)

For more information, visit http://www.actransit.org/ and read the homepage article, “Have Something to Say About Fares?”

Input opportunities include:

• Filling out an online form
• Email
• Voicemail: (510) 891-7293
• Fax: (510) 891-4874
• Mail: AC Transit Fare Policy Input, 1600 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612
• In person at a public meeting on Feb. 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. at above location (interpretation services can be arranged).

Consumer input is sought about the following: goals and principles, options regarding transfers and passes and timing and manner of fare increases. Input is requested by Monday, Feb. 28.

About Meg Bertoni

Meg has been a writing, editorial, and research mercenary for over two decades. (Have laptop, will travel.) She holds a Ph.D. in international relations, and when not absorbed with Oakland’s stories and events, mostly teaches online graduate-level global affairs and writing courses. She has been obsessed with justice and strategy for as long as she can remember. Her personal blog is at megspohn.com.