All options are on the table, including a fare increase, as Tri-Rail scrambles to find the money to keep its 50-train weekday schedule going for another year.

"I think it's something we realistically have to take a look at," said Palm Beach County Commissioner Jeff Koons, who also serves on the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.

The authority was banking on the state legislature to approve a permanent revenue source to pay for future operations, but the agency was shut out again when this year's session ended last week.

House members unanimously approved a measure to redirect $42 million from an existing $2 rental car surcharge to the authority. The Senate discussed creating a new $2 fee on rental cars, but did not include it in its final transportation bill.

Tri-Rail last adjusted its fares in 1995, going from a flat fee to a structure that charges riders based on how far they travel. A round trip from West Palm Beach to the Metrorail station in Miami costs $9.25. Regular commuters who join the Employer Discount Program get unlimited rides for $60 a month.

Going back to a flat fare of $4 or $5 a day may be a way to increase both revenue and ridership, authority member Marie Horenburger said.