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The Denver Post/Thursday. Dec. 27. 1984

REGION

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[Image caption] Beverly Furnice displays sign during PUC hearing to bring attention to the difficulties that riding Trailways buses pose for the disabled. The Denver Post / Brian Brainerd

[Headline] PUC suspends proposed bus fare increases
By Kit Miniclier
Denver Post Stan Writer

Protests from more than 1,800 people have prompted the Colo-rado Public Utilities Commission to suspend proposed bus fare hikes of 140 percent to 300 percent.

The commission now plans to hold public hearings on the fare hike plans.

The fare increases, sought by the parent Trailways Bus Co. and its Colorado subsidiaries, American Buslines Inc., Denver-Colorado Springs-Pueblo Motor Way Inc., Trailways Bus System Inc. and Trailways Inc. were scheduled to become effective Jan. 7.

Some sample one-way fare in-creases in the proposal include: from $17.95 to $40 for travel be-tween Grand Junction and Den-ver; from $8.55 to $20 between Sterling and Denver; from $7.80 to $20 between Pueblo and Denver; from $4.80 to $13 between Denver and Colorado Springs; from $8.30 to $20 between Lamar and Pueblo.

The round-trip fare between Denver and Alamosa would jump from $31.10 to $70.

"I don't think people on the Western Slope are fully aware of the impact of the proposed rate hikes:" said Eugene Eckhardt, su-pervising rate analyst.

As of last Friday, Eckhardt told the -commission Wednesday, he had received 890 protests from Pueblo, 795 from Alamosa, and 178 from La Junta.

He told the three-member commission that the average rate hike requested is 140 percent. However, the fare for a trip of less than 13 miles, some of which now go for 95 cents or a dollar, would jump to a flat $4, representing an increase of more than 300 percent, Eckhardt said.

Harry Galligan, the commission's executive secretary, said a formal order suspending the rate increase and setting dates for public hearings will be prepared later this week.

The commission acted after nine wheelchair-bound citizens rolled into the hearing room and distributed fliers asking the PUC to "deny the bus companies' request for rate hikes until they have wheelchair-accessible buses that can serve everyone."

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Wednesday 24 July 2013

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Wednesday 9 October 2019

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