Transit fares may increase under proposed Miami-Dade budget
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Commuters boarding the Metrobus in Miami Gardens. Photo: Saul Martinez/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The proposed Miami-Dade County budget would increase the cost to ride local transit and defund a free ride-share service.
Why it matters: The proposed fare increases for rail, bus and disability services would be the county's first price hikes since 2013, according to the mayor's office.
- Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's $12.9 billion proposed budget looks to offset a more than $400 million deficit for 2026.
By the numbers: The budget proposes a 50-cent increase for Metrorail and Metrobus, from $2.25 to $2.75 per ride.
- It also adds a 25-cent increase for Special Transportation Services (STS), a service for riders with disabilities, from $3.50 to $3.75.
- Free ride-share service MetroConnect — an $11 million program meant to connect riders to transit stations — would also be defunded if the budget is approved.
The latest: County commissioners will consider the funding proposals during their first budget hearing Thursday, ahead of a final meeting Sept. 18.
Friction point: A spokesperson for Levine Cava says a "modest" price increase was needed to keep the transit system operational, while activists warn even a slight hike would burden vulnerable riders.
What they're saying: Transit Alliance Miami executive director Cathy Dos Santos tells Axios that any fare increases should be paired with improved services and be rolled out gradually to avoid ridership declines.
- Although she says Miami-Dade is a national outlier in keeping fares flat since 2013, Dos Santos argued the proposed 22% hikes are "out of sync" with fare increases imposed by other U.S. transit systems.
- Dos Santos also says it's "unacceptable" to force STS riders to pay more when their rides are already pricier than Metrorail or Metrobus.
The other side: Jennie Lopez, a spokesperson for Levine Cava, tells Axios that several free and reduced-fare programs will remain in effect.
- Those include the Golden Passport for seniors, the Patriot Passport for low-income veterans, discounted fares for low-income riders and students, and the free Metromover.
- "If we don't raise fares, the alternative would eventually be cuts to routes and service, creating major disruptions that could affect thousands of residents and damage our economy."
Zoom in: MetroConnect, which launched in 2020, calls itself a "lifeline that connects riders in transit deserts to MetroRail and Metrobus," but county commissioners have criticized its effectiveness and cost, the Miami Herald reports.
- A spokesperson for Via, which operates the service, tells Axios that MetroConnect provides over 2,000 average weekly rides.
- Per a rider survey, Via says 60% of users would have trouble getting to work or accessing job opportunities without MetroConnect.
- Over a third of riders reported earning less than $25,000 in annual household income, according to Via data.
What we're watching: The county is exploring alternative proposals for continuing MetroConnect, including potentially charging for the service, Lopez says.
- Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado has proposed charging for MetroConnect and the Metromover to avoid raising other fares, the Herald reported.
If you go: The budget hearing will be Thursday at 5:01pm at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center.
- You can watch live on YouTube, Miami-Dade TV or the county website.