Starting Monday, Capital Metro bus riders will pay more to move around town.

Capital Metro has been charging local riders $0.50 since 1985 -- this is the first base fare increase in the transit company's history.

Capital Metro saw a 6 percent increase in ridership from January through April of 2008 and believes it's due to high gas prices. Starting Monday, local bus fares will go from $0.50 to $0.75. Capital Metro is also expanding its fleet and adding more routes. The move is part of Capital Metro's long range financial plan -- it says something has to be done to mitigate the rising cost of labor and fuel, and this rate hike is one way to help keep the company financially healthy.

Other fares will also increase.

Capital Metro has been working to inform riders of the rate change, for the past few months, so say it should come as no surprise.

And Capital Metro officials say the hike to $0.75 still lags behind cities like Dallas at $1.25 and Houston's fare at a dollar for a single ride.

This isn't the only rate hike Capital Metro users will see. -- next fall, the base fare increases from $0.75 to $1.00.