Miami-Dade bus and Metrorail riders will pay more starting in January, when the one-way fare rises 50 cents, from $2.25 to $2.75. For a typical commuter, the county estimates that adds about $250 a year.
The increase came after the county proposed in July to cut 12 bus routes along with all early-morning and overnight service. Transit Alliance Miami, a local nonprofit, led a campaign that included riding the affected routes, holding seven town hall events and attending budget meetings in September and October. Several partner groups joined the effort.
The county later said the fare increase preserved more than $20 million in transit service, according to a tracker kept by the alliance. Officials emptied a developer-backed transportation improvement district fund to keep services running for another year. Routes in 42nd Avenue, Biscayne Park, Florida City, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and West Miami were among those saved. Commissioners also asked the mayor’s office to study adding fares on the free Metromover.
Not every cut was reversed. The final budget still eliminated six bus lines and 34 late-night trips, according to the alliance.
Transit leaders warn that more pressure is coming. Amendment 3, a property tax measure on the ballot, could cut the transit department’s budget by $53.3 million a year by 2029, according to a county analysis. Separately, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz asked the state to revise her budget after commissioners declined to give her an extra $42 million, and a shift of funds to the sheriff could reach transit.
Alliance Executive Director Cathy Dos Santos said the system needs a long-term funding fix, such as a larger penny sales tax, new development fees or an added property tax.
