Some regular riders not happy with Greater Dayton RTA proposed fare change

DAYTON — With prices going up on all sorts of things, now riders have concerns about a possible price hike for public transit.

>>PHOTOS: Greater Dayton RTA holds hearing on proposed fare change

The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) held the first of two public input sessions on Wednesday in Dayton.

News Center 7′s Nick Foley says some regular riders are worried.

Melody Burba sat face-to-face with a member of the Greater Dayton RTA on Wright State Plaza on Wednesday morning to share her thoughts on the agency’s proposed rate increase.

Foley says under the plan that riders, including Burba, would see each of their rides go up $0.50 in September and another $0.25 by next January.

That equals a little less than a 30% increase in nine months.

“I had a recent reduction in my household income, so I don’t have as much money to spend on rides,” said Burba.

RTA says due to rising costs and inflation revenue falling short, the increased fares for both fixed route and para-transit services would help alleviate some of the financial burden.

Burba is worried that the changes could keep people from earning additional income or simply getting to important medical appointments.

“There’s a lot of people with disabilities that depend on this for their work,” she said. “I’ve heard of several people who had to stop their weekend job because they couldn’t afford the paratransit.”

News Center 7 has asked RTA for a comment, and they declined to speak with us.

The agency’s last rate increase was in 2018. A previous hike was proposed in 2022 but was scrapped.

Another public input session will be held Thursday afternoon at Wright Stop Plaza in Dayton from 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

We will continue to provide updates on this story.

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