No more bus fares in Terre Haute next year as it tries out free public transit.
The city says the $100,000 dollars collected annually in fares covers less than five percent of operational costs.
Ridership has been down since the pandemic, said transportation director Debbie Hensley. Terre Haute saw the number of customers increase up to 50 percent on free days last year.
“This will help increase ridership,” Hensley said. “And of course, coming up with $1.75 can be difficult, with everything going up in cost.”
Removing fares also helps buses run more efficiently. Time spent checking for fares can lead to altercations between drivers and customers.
“Sometimes that will can turn into hostility when somebody might be a quarter short,” Hensley said.
Free transit goes live in Terre Haute Jan. 2.
