POLL: How Would a T Fare Hike Affect You?

Facing a mounting deficit and increased infrastructure needs, the MBTA is looking at several proposals that would increase fares between 20-50 percent, the Boston Globe reported this week. 

In documents released to the Globe, one plan prepared for the MBTA shows monthly commuter rail passes increasing about 25 percent. For a monthly pass from , that could increase the price from $210 now to $265.

Individual tickets could increase 20-50 percent under the scenarios outlined by T officials. The existing $6.25 ticket at Hamilton-Wenham station could go up to anywhere from $7.50 to $9.25 for the 23 mile trip to Boston.

The plan, as outlined by the Globe, says the T is looking to increase Charlie Card fares on the subway from $1.70 to $2.35 and Charlie Ticket fares from $2 to $3.25. 

The Globe reported that the T board has not heard about the proposal.

Jack Spellman, Hamilton’s representative to the MBTA Advisory Board, said they too have not heard about the proposal. He, too, heard about it through the Globe report.

“The advisory board last met in March,” he said. “Fare increases were not discussed at that time.”

In 2009, about 400 people daily rode the commuter rail from Hamilton-Wenham station. In the past eight years, daily boardings at the Hamilton-Wenham station have ranged from 266 to 496, according to the T.

In fiscal 2010, Wenham paid a local assessment of $94,483 to the T while Hamilton paid $167,633.

According to the Globe, the numbers behind the proposals were put together by the Central Transportation Planning Staff and were recently shared with members of the MBTA's Rider Oversight Committee. No final plan is actually in place. 

However, according to an October report in Metro Boston, fare increases will not be enough to cover the transit system's budget problems, leading the MBTA to look at other cost-saving measures. 

The MBTA last raised its fares in 2007.