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Metra commuters should anticipate a double-digit fare increase next year as the transit agency prepares for a funding shortfall caused by the depletion of COVID funds.
The transit agency, in a news release on Friday, said service cuts won’t be needed in 2026, and federal COVID dollars likely won’t be emptied until late in the year.
The Regional Transportation Authority, the government oversight body for Metra, CTA and Pace, had warned of a $771 million deficit, potential mass layoffs and service cuts as high as 40%. But earlier this month, the RTA revealed the budget gap had drastically decreased to $200 million.
Higher deficits remain on the horizon, with Metra alone expecting shortfalls of $276.3 million and $304.8 million in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
Metra warned severe service cuts and “other actions” will be necessary in the years ahead unless the Illinois General Assembly approves an increase in funding for public transportation. The transit agencies have been relying on COVID relief funds to cover a drop in fare revenue spurred by lower post-pandemic ridership.
To address deficits, Metra, CTA and Pace were required by the RTA to raise fares by a minimum of 10% next year, according to the transit agency. Metra rates will increase 13% to 15% “depending on the fare product and the number of zones travelled.”
For instance, the cost of a one-way ticket will rise to $4.25 from $3.75 for Zone 1 to 2, to $6.25 from $5.50 for Zone 1 to 3, and to $7.75 from $6.75 for Zone 1 to 4. The Ogilvie Transportation Center and Millennium Station serve as Zone 1 on the various lines, while Zones 2 through 4 cover the city’s suburbs, with Zone 4 the furthest from downtown.
Metra implemented changes to how it collects and charges fares as part of its Fiscal Year 2024 budget, though the transit agency hasn’t enacted an across-the-board fare increase since 2018.
The agency’s proposed $1.1 billion budget includes measures to cover a projected $68 million shortfall and a $575.3 million capital plan that continues major bridge investments. Metra also proposed to allocate $60 million in fare revenue for capital needs, including a program to replace or rehab aging bridges.
A series of public hearings on the budget will take place before the Metra Board of Directors votes in November.
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