CENTRO hikes prices

The Centro bus system has increased its bus fares by 25 cents. The bus fare, now, is $1.25 per ride in Onondaga County. This is the first fare increase in 14 years.

In the last fiscal year, 15 million riders rode Centro buses in Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga and Oneida counties, the increase was approved to subset the highest total of bus riders in Centro's history and the $4-plus per gallon gas prices.

However, a bus ride in Syracuse still remains cheaper than in every other big city in New York, except for Rochester.

Despite the increased price, riders say they will continue to take Centro. People say they prefer riding Centro because it is still cheaper to ride a bus than to pay for gas.

Bus fare increases are not only happening in Syracuse - they are happening throughout New York this year. In Buffalo and Binghamton, the bus fare went up by 25 cents. In Albany, it went up by 50 cents. The bus fare will go up in New York City and Yonkers by 25 cents in June.

Rochester is the only exception to this trend of increasing bus fare. On September 1, the transit authority in Rochester lowered its bus fare by 25 cents from $1.25 to $1. But the Centro bus system is still cheaper than the Rochester-Genessee trainsit authority, which runs the buses in Rochester.

Here is the story by NCC News Reporter Leigh Paynter.