Commuters who use Trinity Metro could save a little money this fall, as the public transportation company announces lower rates.
Trinity Metro approved price cuts on Monday for its commuters, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The transit authority’s leaders believe that these changes to the fare system will entice more customers to use its services and alleviate current users’ financial stress.
A one-way ticket for the express bus or train lines is currently valued at $2.50, with the newly adjusted rate being $2, according to FWST. A ride on Zipzone, the agency’s rideshare program, costs anywhere from $1 to $3, but it will now cost $2 when the lower prices take effect in September.
Day passes will also be available at cheaper rates. Day passes will now cost riders $4 instead of $5, and weekly passes will be priced at $18 rather than $25. Discounted tickets for children, seniors, and veterans will see even lower prices, per FWST.
Annual and 31-day passes for the public transportation system will be discontinued as the company seeks to reduce rates for its other services. Rides with Access, a paratransit program, will not be included in the discounts.
The payment process will also undergo an overhaul, as payment will be collected via an “account based ticketing” method, reported FWST. This new system will give customers the flexibility to purchase tickets on the public transportation vehicle they are taking or at the station, with their payment method of choice. Riders will have their personal and financial information linked together via an account managed by Trinity Metro.
Officials say the new system will lay a solid foundation for fare capping, which would limit how much customers are charged for rides in a given time frame, per FWST. If riders pay for two trips on any service provided by Trinity Metro, they will be able to use any service for free for the rest of the day. Additionally, those who pay for the equivalent of a 7-day pass over the course of a week won’t need to pay for rides for the duration of that week.
A study on the benefits of fare capping shows that fare capping on a daily basis can provide “…important discounts to transit-dependent riders, tourists, and other frequent riders,” as the results stated. “Additionally, more frequent riders received higher discounts, meaning fare capping may potentially incentivize additional trips.”
Chad Edwards, the vice president of planning and development for Trinity Metro, predicts that these changes will lead to an offset in the 8.4% decline in fare revenue that the transportation company has seen recently. He also notes that this new system could entice thousands of new customers to use the metro system, per FWST.
The reduced fares are estimated to save riders an average of 48 cents per trip, which will provide the most affordable pricing to low-income and minority commuters, as reported by FWST.
The lower fare prices will take effect once the account ticketing system is implemented; however, the funding and timeline for the system are unknown.