Time to Pony Up?
The Monroe County Transportation Authority board meets tonight (Thursday) at 5:30 p.m. at its headquarters, 134 MCTA Drive in Swiftwater, to take up fare increases for the Pocono Pony's Shared Ride service (not the regular fixed-route buses). If approved, the new fares take effect Oct. 1.
The full fare would rise 11% to 15% depending on distance: a trip under 4 miles goes from $20 to $23, and a trip over 30 miles goes from $55 to $63. Co-pays for riders with disabilities rise by the same 11% to 15%, to between $3.45 and $9.45. Seniors, whose rides are 85% subsidized by the Pennsylvania Lottery, would pay 25 to 50 cents more per trip. That sounds small until you do the math on the shortest trip, where the senior co-pay goes from $1 to $1.50, a 50% jump.
How does that compare to a rideshare? When we checked Uber prices a little before 9 p.m. Wednesday for similar distances, the Pony's full fare came in higher, even before the proposed increase. Admittedly, that's one snapshot in time, and rideshare fares rise and fall with demand. Some of that extra cost buys something Uber doesn't offer: rides are booked by phone with a real person, the buses come equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps, and drivers help riders on and off. On the other hand, the service runs only on weekdays during limited daytime hours, trips have to be booked at least a business day ahead, and the bus picks up other riders along the way.
The bigger point is that most Shared Ride passengers never pay the full freight. Seniors and riders with disabilities pay subsidized co-pays, and somebody covers the rest: the Pennsylvania Lottery and public transit dollars. In other words, us.
CEO Rich Schlameuss said the update “is necessary to ensure we can sustain quality, dependable transportation for Monroe County.” If you ride, or even if you're just one of the taxpayers helping foot the bill, you can still weigh in: show up tonight, fill out a comment card on the bus, or call 570-839-6282.
