A Bus Ride in Orange County May Cost More

SANTA ANA —  Taking the bus will cost more starting July 1 if the Orange County Transit District approves a proposal to boost fares from 90 cents to $1.

A public hearing on the proposed fare increase is set for 9 a.m. Monday in the Planning Commission Hearing Room at the County Hall of Administration in Santa Ana.

The public is invited to testify for or against the proposed increase, which OCTD officials say is needed to improve efficiency and reduce the transit district’s reliance on dwindling federal grant money.

“We’ve made some projections into the next five years and we see some potential deficits,” said OCTD spokeswoman Joanne Curran. “And the last thing we want to do is cut service when all we hear from the public is that they want more service, not less.”

The last bus fare increase took effect on July 1, 1990, when fares rose from 85 cents to 90 cents.

Under the new increase, the price for senior citizens and the disabled would also rise from 45 cents to 50 cents during off-peak hours, and from 90 cents to $1 during the morning and evening rush hours.

Intercounty express bus service fares would increase 30 cents, from $2.70 to $3.

In Los Angeles, the basic Southern California Rapid Transit District fare is $1.10. In San Diego, the fare is $1.