August 6, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
ABQ Ride Will Charge for Transfers To Stem Abuse
By Lloyd Jojola, Journal Staff WriterABQ Ride will start charging passengers to use a bus transfer in an effort to eliminate fraud and abuse, transit officials say.
Riders can still request a transfer, but they will be charged 50 cents starting Aug. 16 when they use it to board a bus. The transfer slip will be valid for two hours, which is the case now.
The bus fare — $1 for adults and 35 cents for seniors and students — will remain the same.
Currently, riders can use a transfer for free.
The problem, ABQ Ride managers and drivers say, is that some riders are altering expired transfers, reusing them, or stealing them from buses and selling them. Some riders then become abusive — verbally and physically — when confronted about it.
"It's an everyday problem," said Frederick Garcia, a driver. "This is probably our No. 1 problem on city buses."
David Ulibarri, an agency supervisor and former driver, said it's common to see passengers hand off transfers to others after they've boarded the bus or after debarking a bus.
Last year, Ulibarri said, one passenger using an expired transfer boarded the bus he was driving and demanded another transfer. Ulibarri said he declined.
"All of a sudden, this guy runs up from the back of the bus and blindsided me and hit me right on the nose and busted my nose and just started whaling on me as I was driving," he said.
Transit Director Greg Payne estimated that fraud and abuse associated with transfers is costing the agency at least $300,000 a year.
"And my suspicion is, it's closer to double that," he said.