Fuel costs squeezing U.S. mass transit

WASHINGTON, July 18 (UPI) -- Transit agencies across the United States are raising fares in order to keep up with higher fuel costs, an industry survey indicated.

The poll by the American Public Transportation Association found that about half of the agencies have had to raise prices even as the number of riders surged.

"High gas prices are really a double-edge sword," APTA spokeswoman Virginia Miller told USA Today. "While they are bringing more people to ride buses and trains all across the country, public transit agencies are facing challenges to meet their costs."

The APTA said ridership in the first quarter of 2008 was up more than 3 percent over the first quarter of 2007 but fuel costs actually forced 19 percent of the nation's bus companies to cut services.

In addition, some transportation analysts told USA Today that many low-income riders have cut down on riding the bus because they can't afford the higher fares.