Metra chairman editorial: Why Metra needs a fare hike…

Metra recently announced a long-range plan to upgrade our locomotives and cars and pay for the Positive Train Control safety system, a plan that relies in part on issuing $400 million in bonds that will be covered by higher fares over the next decade. At the same time, we shared that our operating costs will continue to go up, like they do for most businesses — and that could have an impact on fares. Because the new Metra board insists on giving our riders a complete picture, we combined projections for fare increases needed to cover our modernization bonds over the next 10 years with estimates of fare increases that may be needed to keep up with anticipated increased costs…Please click here to read Martin J. Oberman’s editorial in the Tribune.