COMMUTING: Higher Metro Fares for Late Night?

According to a public meeting notice on its website, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is considering an "adjustment" for subway fares during late-night Friday and Saturday service. As you may remember, WMATA began phasing in later service Friday and Saturdays in the past few years.

For fiscal 2004, WMATA began an 18-month demonstration period to see whether or not a 3 a.m. closing on Fridays and Saturdays was a good move. While ridership has increased (143,200 passenger trips over nine months), the cost effectiveness hasn't met expectations.

From WMATA:
This imbalance between operating cost and operating revenue has caused the Board of Directors to examine the fares received during this time period if the cost recovery ratio (passenger revenue/operating cost) could be raised to Metrorail cost recovery rates experienced during other periods of time during the day.

A translation and a prediction: With late night service popular but not cost effective, they're probably going to charge more after midnight. WMATA has floated other cost-cutting possibilities, including running two-car trains late at night and closing some stations (like Federal Center SW ... but that might be an improvement).

Public hearings on the matter are scheduled for June 7, 7 p.m. at WMATA's Judiciary Square headquarters.