Manuel Flores

The Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council has suggested that fares for the transit system be cut in half, Manuel Flores, LRGVDC director of transit services, stated in a letter to the Harlingen-San Benito Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Flores is suggesting that the current $3 adult one-way bus fare be reduced to $1.50.

He is also suggesting that elderly and disabled people, students with an ID and people on Medicaid and Medicare should pay 75 cents, half the present $1.50 fare.

Children under 6 years old accompanied by an adult would ride for free, Flores stated in the letter.

Manuel Flores, director of regional transit services for the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development council, said the agency needs more time to gather data to analyze current bus fares.

LRGVD runs the bus system.Flores' statement came at Thursday's Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting.

Flores said data on ridership and bus fares should be reviewed and analyzed in September, at the end of the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

On May 20, Flores addressed a letter to the MPO suggesting Harlingen Express lower its current bus fares in an attempt to increase ridership.

Flores suggested reducing the $3 one-way adult bus fare to $1.50.

He also suggested that the current one-way $1.50 fare for the elderly, students, veterans, persons with disabilities and those on Medicaid and Medicare be reduced to 75 cents.

Children under 7 now ride for free.Flores suggested that children under 6 ride for free.

"The current fares are OK," Flores said Thursday."But the more people use the (bus) services, the more we can decrease the rates."

"I would like to see more people going to work using the system," Flores added.

Flores said that analyzing data after six months of the bus system's operation will give the LRGVDC a better idea on whether the fares need to be reduced or remain the same.

"The flexible route is still very economical because a taxi service will cost a lot more," he said.

Flores said the LRGVDC in cooperation with MPO will also step up advertising to inform people about the bus system.It hopes to begin television advertisements in about two months, Flores said.

Manuel Flores Director, LRGVDC Transit

Manuel Flores Assistant Transit Dir., LRGVDC

Manuel Flores

Transit Director Manuel Flores said Rio Metro has already had success with commuters on the Port Isabel-Brownsville route, which is seeing 2,000 customers a month.On this end of the Valley, Rio Metro hopes to have a new service in place by year's end where a person can call from any urbanized area in Hidalgo County, get picked up at their door and dropped off at a specific destination.

"We're trying to open it up, so we get people in, who will use it to go to work," Flores said.