IT board approves fare-free bus rides starting Jan. 1

It’s official: Intercity Transit buses will stop collecting fares Jan. 1, and anyone can hop a bus without a pass or change in their pockets.

Intercity Transit Authority unanimously approved the change at a meeting Wednesday, according to Tye Menser, a Thurston County commissioner who sits on IT’s board.

“With transportation accounting for as much as 28% of the budget of low-income families, this change could be transformative for our community, across the entire economic spectrum. So proud to be a part of Intercity Transit,” Menser wrote on Facebook.

The change applies to bus service and Dial-A-Lift, a door-to-door service for people with disabilities. Now, fares now range from 50 cents to $3, depending on who is riding and where they are going.

IT has said fares net less than 2 percent of its operating revenue and that replacing its outdated fare collection system would cost at least $1 million. Instead of paying that, officials hope to increase ridership and speed up travel times by not collecting fares.

Intercity Transit has had other good news.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded it approximately $5 million to complete a bus yard expansion and install its own propane fueling station to support increased transit service.

This is the last element of the Pattison Street maintenance facility upgrade, a complete overhaul of that facility.

IT also has announced it will launch a new route to serve growing northeast Lacey. Route 65/Hawks Prairie is scheduled to begin March 22 and will connect with existing high-frequency service on Martin Way and at the Lacey Transit Center.

IT will host open houses on the route at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at Lacey City Hall and at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Community Action Council, 3020 Willamette Drive NE, Lacey. Residents also can review proposals and take a survey at intercitytransit.com/servicechanges.

This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 7:39 AM.