Got the travel bug? Well good news for you! The Ontario government confirms plans to cut the Union Pearson Express Train roughly in half.
Under the new fare structure, the Union Pearson Express will drop to $12, or $9 with a Presto card. There will also be cheaper fares for people using only part of the line — an attempt to make the service work for commuters — a $25 deal for families and substantial discounts for seniors.
Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca unveiled the new fares Tuesday afternoon and are to take into effect by March 9th. “Our job now, going forward, is to drive up awareness, to make it more affordable for more people to try it,” he said.
We're reducing @UPexpress fares to give commuters another easy and affordable option to get where they need to go. pic.twitter.com/CKiWS3EAbx
— Kathleen Wynne (@Kathleen_Wynne) February 23, 2016
The struggling airport train initially cost $27.50, ridership rose in the first few months but then dropped in November and December, the last period for which the data is publicly available. With rising public concerns, the government stepped in and made clear to Metrolinx that something needed to change.
“They won’t admit it, but it’s clearly a step back, a mistake,” said Progressive Conservative MPP Michael Harris. “It’ll cost you and I, the taxpayers, a significant amount of money to pay for this.”
The question is, will this fare decrease spark an increase in ridership and make up for lost revenues? Comment below with your thoughts.
(Featured Image by Canadian Pacific via Flickr)
