Intercity Transit ridership grows 20 percent in first month of zero-fare bus service
The number of people choosing to ride an Intercity Transit bus rose 20 percent in January, the first month of the authority’s zero-fare policy, according to data released by IT.
Weekday boardings grew 15.1 percent last month from the same period a year ago, while weekend boardings really spiked, up nearly 50 percent over the same period, the data show.
The combined result was an increase of 19.8 percent, according to IT.
“We were surprised it was that high,” said development director Eric Phillips about the data, “but we’re definitely pleased.”
He said the sharp rise in weekend boardings was the result of increasing the number of bus trips on Sundays combined with the zero-fare policy.
“We know that people are working service jobs just as much on the weekends as the weekdays, so we’re glad to see that number up,” he said.
The Olympian reported in November that IT previously charged 50 cents to $3 per ride depending on who was riding and where they were going.
Those fares netted less than 2 percent of IT’s operating revenue. Meanwhile, IT’s fare collection boxes needed to be replaced. The agency said it looked at switching to a card-based payment system but most cost at least $1 million to introduce.
“It basically is a wash in terms of what we collect and what we would have to pay for the capital investment and for the operational investment to collect money. Because it costs a lot of money to collect money,” Ann Freeman-Manzanares, IT’s general manager, told The Olympian in November.
But there is a potential financial benefit to increased ridership, Phillips said. Increased ridership could mean a slightly higher share of federal funds for the authority, he said. IT now receives about $3 million.
Meanwhile, riders this week at downtown Olympia’s Intercity Transit Center had nothing but praise for the zero-fare policy.
Meg Gooding of Olympia said the switch to no fares was perfect timing. She recently decided to go back to school to become a nurse, and gave up a state job as a management analyst. She also decided to give up a high car payment in December and stop driving. The next month IT dropped its fares.
“I can get on the bus and go,” said Gooding, who is now working as a certified nursing assistant.
Curt Warner of Lacey, who said his home is near the Winco store, lives on disability payments. He said 65 percent of his monthly income goes toward rent, which leaves him little for bus fare. He called it “awesome” that he could now ride for free.
Steven Patton of Lacey, who also said he was disabled, said his truck recently broke down. Now, he can step outside his apartment, catch the bus and come downtown.
“I like it,” he said, adding that his service dog, Bear, likes it, too.
“He rides the bus just fine,” he said.
Fixed-route boardings in January 2020 versus January 2019
- Weekday ridership: Rose 15.1 percent to 331,675 from 288,284.
- Weekend ridership: Rose 49.4 percent to 69,348 from 46,410.
- Combined: Rose 19.8 percent to 401,023 from 334,694.
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
