(Photo by mauscriptrep)

Washington’s transit agency will consider charging riders more money for rides during large regional events, according to notes from Thursday’s WMATA Board of Directors meeting.

“Metro plays a vital role in transporting riders during regional events. There are additional costs associated with supporting these events that must be recovered,” read the notes, which were first flagged by WTOP. “The use of peak-period fares would enable Metro to recover extraordinary costs associated with regional events, provide adequate staffing and support services for these events, and keep Metro safe, reliable, and affordable.”

During huge events like the Women’s March or the Papal visit in 2015, Metro runs at peak service hours all day (normally, peak hours are only on weekdays from opening to 9:30 a.m., and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.). This, obviously, costs the agency more money than normal. But—barring the presidential inauguration, during which Metro has always charged peak prices—the agency has not traditionally changed up its pricing significantly on these days.

Riders are always charged more for rides they take during peak service hours. The minimum for a peak ride is $2.25, while the maximum is $6, depending on how far you travel. During off-peak hours, the minimum is $2 and the maximum is $3.85.

The proposal would institute all-day peak hour prices during big events.

In October of this year, Metro will hold a public hearing on the proposal, and in December, the Board will review the feedback and make a recommendation for next steps.

Metro has long been considering new ways to increase its revenue, including increasing parking prices during certain hours at some stations and selling the rights to station names.

What do you think? Should Metro charge riders more money during big events where they’re running peak service all day?

Loading…