A group of transportation and environmental activists will rally outside a TriMet board meeting this morning to demand the agency places a moratorium on fare hikes.

The rally was organized by local transit advocacy organization OPAL, who, in an open letter to TriMet sent Wednesday, is requesting an indefinite freeze on all fare increases. The letter was also signed by Sunrise Movement PDX, Unite Oregon, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 (the union for TriMet operators), and about 20 other organizations.

“We the undersigned demand that the TriMet Board of Directors issue a moratorium on all fare increases,” the letter states. “TriMet has yet to explore what other avenues exist to generate increased revenues for the transit system, and has failed to produce an analysis of the environmental justice and civil rights implications of such a fare hike.”

TriMet fares are currently $2.50 for a standard two-and-a-half hour pass, and $5 for a day pass. It also offers reduced-fare options for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income people.

TriMet does not have any immediate plans to raise fares, but the option to begin raising fares over the next decade is included in the agency’s long-term business plan.

In its letter, OPAL argues that “when fares go up, ridership goes down,” and says that public transit needs to stay affordable to “relieve congestion, reduce climate pollution, improve air quality, and achieve better educational and socioeconomic outcomes.”

TriMet has drawn scrutiny in the last couple months for increasing its rank of fare enforcers, and for a quickly abandoned advertising campaign that many accused of being classist and out-of-touch. While OPAL and other organizations have called for the agency to work toward reducing and eliminating fares altogether, TriMet says that would conflict with its ongoing goal to increase levels of service.

According to TriMet spokesperson Roberta Altstadt, General Manager Doug Kelsey told the agency’s board of directors on Tuesday that a fare hike won’t happen in 2020.

“TriMet budgets and long-term business plans for the past several years have mentioned the possibility of fare increases, essentially as a placeholder,” Altstadt wrote. “However, TriMet has not had a system wide fare increase in more than seven years, despite inflation and service increases. … Currently, the agency remains focused on increasing our efforts to help those in our community who are struggling financially.”

OPAL spokesperson Shawn Fleek told the Mercury that the news TriMet won’t increase fares in 2020 isn’t enough to deter the organization from rallying outside Wednesday’s meeting. OPAL wants TriMet to take things a step further by committing to a long-term plan not to increase fares for the foreseeable future.

“They’re just delaying a fare hike,” Fleek said. “We still demand a moratorium.”