AC Transit Raises Fares and Downsizes Workforce to Balance the Budget

AC Transit is singing the blues again — and so are its riders. In order to balance its budget, the regional bus company slashed 54 employee positions from its workforce, and set another 10-cent adult fare increase to begin in August, the Daily Cal reports. Apparently the fare hike is part of a 10 year plan to help AC Transit remain solvent in the wake of rising fuel costs, decreasing tax revenue, and poor ridership. The company will also close its Division 3 busyard in Richmond and the Paratransit Unit at Division 8 in Oakland to help reduce the deficit. The new budget will be unveiled at a June 8 meeting of the AC Transit Board of Directors.