On Monday, July 29, fare increases for riding the Fairfax Connector will begin. Riders will pay 12.5 percent more. Children 12 and under will continue to ride free with a paying adult. The last increase occurred on June 25, 2017, with a 12.5 percent adjustment.

The regular base fare for Fairfax Connector trips will rise from $2 to $2.25, whether by cash or SmarTrip card. The base fare for seniors and those with disabilities will rise from $1 to $1.10. 

The 2024 increase is happening because, on July 16, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to increase Fairfax Connector fares by 12.5 percent. The supervisors copied the same percent fare increase that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) implemented for Metro Rail and Metrobus on weekdays. WMATA’s increase took effect on June 30, 2024.  

The increase is not a small change, especially for Fairfax Connector riders who are already struggling with increased consumer costs and a dollar whose purchasing power has decreased by 22 percent since 2017.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) Summary, released on July 11, 2024, reports all items increased by 3 percent, with shelter +5.25% and energy services +4.3% according to Percent Changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, unadjusted 12-months ended June 2024.

Fairfax County describes the 12.5 percent fare increase as "slight" in its July 16 released statement, "Fairfax Connector Fare Change Effective July 29, 2024." Calling the fare increase “slight” would presumptively appear to be relative to what one has available in one's pocket.

The Consumer Price Inflation Calculator cites an erosion of a dollar's buying power in 2024 compared to 2017. In 2024, a dollar will buy 78 percent of what it did in 2017. In other words, the buying power of a 2024 dollar is 22 percent less than it was in 2017. 

Add the 22 percent dollar value loss and the 12.5 percent fare increase, which is a 44.5 percent fare value adjustment from June 24, 2017. “Slight” is subjective.

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 Fare increases to ride the Fairfax Connector begin Monday, July 29. Riders on the Fairfax Connector will pay 12.5 percent more. Children 12 and under will continue to ride free with a paying adult. The last increase occurred on June 25, 2017, with a 12.5 percent increase adjustment.

The regular base fare for Fairfax Connector trips will rise from $2 to $2.25, whether by cash or SmarTrip card. The base fare for seniors and those with disabilities will rise from $1 to $1.10. 

The  2024 increase is happening because, on July 16, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to increase Fairfax Connector fares by 12.5 percent.  The supervisors copied the same percent fare increase that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) implemented for Metro rail on weekdays and Metrobus. WMATA’s increase took effect on June 30, 2024. 

The increase is not a small change, especially for Fairfax Connector riders who are already struggling with increased consumer costs and a dollar whose purchasing power has decreased by 22 percent since 2017.

The  Consumer Price Index (CPI)  Summary,  released on July 11, 2024, reports all items increased by 3  percent, with shelter +5.25% and  energy services + 4.3 %  according to Percent Changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average,  unadjusted 12-months ended June 2024.

While those percentages might not appear to be exceeding high to some,  according to the Consumer Price Inflation Calculator, a dollar's buying power in 2024  is significantly eroded compared to that in 2017. A dollar in 2024 can purchase only 78 percent of what it could in 2017. In other words,  the buying power of a 2024 dollar is 22 percent less than it was in 2017.

In its July 16  released statement, Fairfax Connector Fare Change Effective July 29, 2024, Fairfax County describes the 12.5 percent fare increase as “slight.” Such a description is relative to what one has available in their pocket.

Metro reported its fare increase “helps keep prices in line with inflation and allows us to keep running our current service.” 

According to the Consumer Price Inflation Calculator, the cumulative price change 28.7 percent based on inflation from 2017 to 2024. That means today's prices are 1.28 times as high as average prices since 2017, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index. A dollar today buys 78.125 percent of what it could buy in 2017.

Learn more about all Metro changes at wmata.com/changes.