SF 1746

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/14/2012 09:47am

A bill for an act
relating to transportation; increasing transit ridership; requiring Metropolitan
Council and greater Minnesota transit systems to reduce transit fares to 25 cents;
appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
new text end

new text begin (a) The legislature finds it to be in the public interest to address traffic congestion and
reduce harmful vehicle emissions by significantly increasing transit ridership. Increasing
transit ridership is the most cost-effective means to address environmental and traffic
congestion problems. Studies show that increasing transit fares decreases ridership, and
decreasing fares increases ridership.
new text end

new text begin (b) Passenger fares currently cover less than 25 percent of all transit costs.
Consequently, fare reductions, with resulting ridership increase, would reduce the
per-passenger public subsidy.
new text end

new text begin (c) The significant ridership increase resulting from 25-cent fares would necessitate
the addition of transit routes and more frequent service, thereby making transit a viable
option for an increased number of people, further increasing ridership.
new text end

new text begin (d) Reducing transit fares to 25 cents per ride would increase transit ridership more
effectively than any other transit improvement.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin REGULAR ROUTE TRANSIT FARES.
new text end

new text begin (a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 473.408, the Metropolitan Council
shall establish and enforce a fare of 25 cents for regular route transit in the metropolitan
area.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 174.24, the commissioner of
transportation shall require each greater Minnesota urbanized area service system that
receives financial assistance under a public transit participation program to establish and
enforce a fare of 25 cents for regular route transit.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... is appropriated in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 to the Metropolitan Council
from the general fund for metropolitan transit to replace revenue lost by lower fares.
new text end

new text begin (b) $....... is appropriated in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 to the Metropolitan Council
for metropolitan transit to fund additional routes and more frequent service required to
provide transit service necessitated by increased ridership.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... is appropriated in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 to the commissioner of
transportation from the general fund for greater Minnesota transit. The appropriations are
for assistance to transit systems described in section 2, paragraph (b), to replace revenues
lost by lower fares.
new text end

new text begin (b) $....... is appropriated in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 to the commissioner of
transportation from the general fund for greater Minnesota transit. The appropriations are
for assistance to transit systems described in section 2, paragraph (b), for funding of
additional routes and more frequent service necessitated by increased ridership.
new text end

new text begin (c) The appropriations in this section are in addition to assistance provided by, and
not subject to the limitations of, the public transit participation program.
new text end