SIMI VALLEY : Decision on Raising Bus Fare Is Delayed

The Simi Valley City Council Monday night postponed action on a proposal to raise the basic one-way adult fare for riding Simi Valley Transit buses from 75 cents to as much as $1.

Instead, the council ordered city staff to spend the next two or three months analyzing the city’s bus service budget to determine ways to cuts costs rather than hike the price of a bus ticket.

Councilwoman Judy Mikels said that if the staff comes up with no other options, “we’ll have to bite the bullet” and raise bus fares.

The city, which operates four bus routes, raised the basic fare from 50 cents to 75 cents in 1989. But Simi Valley staff members said this will no longer generate enough money to cover at least 20% of the system’s operating costs, as required by a city policy.

Before Monday’s postponement, staff members said the city could reach the 20% return level by raising the adult fare at least to 90 cents and suggested the fare could be raised as high as $1. The staff report also figured that discounted fares for senior citizens and riders with disabilities would also rise proportionally.

But council members said they were reluctant to impose higher fares on bus riders. They asked staff members to re-examine the budget for ways to avoid a systemwide fare increase.

The current fares are expected to cover about 18% of the system’s operating costs this year, staff members said.

During the 1992-93 fiscal year, the Simi Valley bus system recorded more than 359,000 passenger boardings.