Bus Riders Union of Austin, Texas | El Sindicato de Pasajeros

Today (6/27/08) 4 out of the 7 member Capital Metro board of directors held a public hearing about raising base bus fares 100% over the next 15 months. Metro staff is also proposing an 11,000% increase for disabled riders and fares for senior citizens for the first time. This comes a day after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill aimed at LOWERING FARES:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House approved financial help Thursday for mass transit systems facing a surge in riders because of high gas prices. But Republicans blocked Democrats from requiring oil and gas companies to drill on the millions of acres of government land and water on which they already own federal leases.

Gas prices have pushed many Americans, such as these Metrolink riders in Los Angeles, California, to mass transit.

The House voted 322-98 to authorize $1.7 billion over the next two years to lower fares and expand operations as more riders flock to public transit. The transit measure, which must be considered by the Senate, marks the first time federal money would be used to support local mass transit operating costs.

rest of story at: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/26/congress.energy.ap/index.html