Ditching the car in favour of public transit may not be enough to shield commuters from rising fuel costs.
Confronted with galloping diesel prices, TTC officials aren’t ruling out the possibility of adding a fuel surcharge to the price of a ride next year.
Although the budget process for 2009 has barely begun, the TTC has to figure out how to deal with a jump in fuel costs expected to rise from about $65 million this year to $97 million next year.
The escalating price of fuel accounts for $25 million of the difference, a boost in service for the remaining $7 million.
“There’s $32 million. That’s a big increase,” said TTC chief general manager Gary Webster. “Where that money’s coming from, we don’t know.”
The TTC’s diesel supply contract expires at the end of this year, so the agency will be monitoring prices for a while before signing another contract.
