6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS TRANSPORTATION WAYNE S. Groundcover vendor No. 615 SARAH HUBER U-M student contributor Offering fare-free bus service in American communities was a popular move to enhance public safety during the COVID pandemic and now it’s an issue that is catching on across the nation. Communities from New York City to Richmond, Va. to Omaha, Neb. are either considering or providing farefree rides for some or all riders. Ann Arbor’s bus service, TheRide, offered fare-free service during COVID but has returned to collecting fares. With Ann Arbor reducing vehicle capacities on its roads (by adding bike lanes, for example) while encouraging rapid growth of housing units, the question becomes why not here? In New York, Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor on a platform that includes fare-free buses, funded with a new tax on the ultra wealthy. The fate of the proposal is not clear but it has stimulated nationwide conversation. Richmond, by contrast, implemented fare-free rides during COVID and never went back. “Zero fare is becoming a national topic,” said Ashley Potter, communications manager with the Greater Richmond Transportation Company (GRTC). In Richmond, bus fare income totaled $8 million a year pre-COVID, according to Potter. Backing out the $1.2 million cost of collecting and managing fares, the agency has pegged the cost of fare-free service at $6.8 million per year in a $108 million operation. Corporate contributions, on-bus advertising and individual donations have combined to cover the cost of not charging fares, Potter said. “Without minimizing the money and its importance, it is a small portion of what needs to go into operating GRTC as a whole,” she said. With the end of COVID shutdowns, Richmond ridership has grown from 8 million riders in 2020 to more than 12 million last year. “People still needed transit,” Potter said, “and not having to pay fare made all the difference.” Potter said the community has embraced the approach. “People certainly have their opinions,” she said, “but I wouldn't say there's been any opposition effort or group. We have the opposite — organizations that push for support for the community.” Ann Arbor Area Transit Authority CEO Matt Carpenter, in a statement provided to Groundcover, did not indicate support for moving toward fare-free service. "At this time, AAATA is not considering a return to suspending fare collection that was temporarily implemented as a social distancing measure during the early months of the COVID pandemic,” Carpenter said. “Losing this revenue would have unknown impacts on our services for the public.” AAATA anticipates $4.1 million in fare revenue this year, according to its approved budget. The Ride’s total budget is more than $70 million and local property taxes, which voters agreed to increase in 2022, will tally more than $40 million this year. The notion that fare-free increases ridership would appear to align with TheRide’s 2045 Long-Range Plan. The plan envisions a dramatic expansion of service, which includes more frequent buses, expanded weekend and evening routes and major investments in communities with lower access. Ridership is projected to increase by as much as 150 to 165 percent by 2045. The plan also emphasizes equity. Service increases in low-opportunity areas are projected to grow even more. While the number of people using the system is expected to double, riders in MARCH 20, 2026 Ann Arbor can afford free bus fare, will they try it? Low and Very Low Opportunity indexes are predicted to see around 123% growth. These expansions are designed to improve access to employment, education and essential services. Ann Arbor clearly expects transit to play a larger role in daily life. AAATA’s ridership topped 7 million pre-COVID, but had only rebounded to 5 million through 2024, according to the agency’s most recent Onboard Report. Groundcover spoke with several AAATA drivers about the question of going fare-free. There was widespread support for the concept. Relieving the business of collecting fares would improve efficiency and ease relations with passengers, they said, especially through ending conflicts with people who lack bus fare. AAATA CEO Carpenter pointed to several programs tailored to improve access to lower-income riders, such as the 50% discount offered through AAATA’s Fare Deal program. (Such discount programs could be expanded or promoted more widely.) In addition, he said the agency plans a comprehensive fare study later this year, which may stimulate further conversation on the possibility of making changes to its fare structure.
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