CityBus wins FTA grant for CNG bus; proposes fare and network changes to take effect next year

CityBus told the Technical Transportation Committee that it was awarded $427,719 in Federal Transit Administration Section 5339 funds to purchase a 35-foot compressed natural gas (CNG) bus to replace a 2011 vehicle, and the agency previewed a set of proposed fare and network changes that would take effect in January if the board approves them.

Brian, a CityBus representative, said the Section 5339 award covers $427,719 of the bus purchase, with a local match of “just a pinch over a 100,000,” bringing the total project cost to $534,649. He said the purchase would replace a 2011 model.

Why it matters: the award will fund a bus replacement and the proposed fare and network changes would alter costs and service patterns for local riders, including eliminating Sunday service and changing late-evening coverage.

CityBus outlined fare changes that would move from a per-trip fare to a two-hour fare window, with a single-trip fare rising from $1 to $2 and a day pass from $2 to $4. The proposed monthly pass would increase from $28 to $50; semester passes would be replaced by a six-month pass priced at $178. Youth riders, who currently ride free under the existing policy, would be recategorized to half-fare eligibility; the agency characterized that as an increase for youth but still below full fare. CityBus also proposes a new express-route fare (about $5 per trip, reflecting the average cost of providing the route) for riders who are not affiliated with entities that purchase express service.

To mitigate fare impacts, CityBus plans to implement an account-based “easy fare” system with reloadable smart cards and a mobile app (building on an existing Token Transit platform). Brian described fare capping and account-based ticketing as ways to limit monthly or daily spending: “With the account based ticketing, the system is able to track, when you pay enough fare to get a day pass and you're done paying for the day, or you've paid enough fare to equal the cost of a monthly pass and you're done paying for the month.” Validators are being installed on buses and staff said six vehicles already have the new equipment.

On service changes, CityBus presented the results of a comprehensive operations analysis conducted since November. The agency plans to organize routes into core (frequent, high-demand corridors) and local (coverage) routes, aim for 20-minute peak frequencies on core corridors, and establish consistent six-day service while reducing late-night service between 9 p.m. and midnight and eliminating Sunday service. Local routes would run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CityBus also proposed additional transfer points outside downtown — Ivy Tech, Walmart West, Walmart East and Payless on Beck Lane — to reduce reliance on a single downtown pulse transfer.

The board will vote on the route network at next week’s policy-board meeting; the fare changes are set for a public hearing and a subsequent board vote, with any approved price changes scheduled to take effect in January. Brian said the fare proposals and network plan are intended to increase frequency on core corridors while balancing financial constraints and coverage needs.

No formal committee vote was taken on the fare or network proposals at this meeting; the CityBus presentation was an informational briefing and staff asked the committee for questions. The committee discussion at the meeting covered the TIP amendment and federal funding items; CityBus encouraged riders and stakeholders to view more details on its website and attend upcoming hearings on the fare proposal.

For riders: the most immediate changes to watch are the proposed fare increases and the move to account-based farecapping; if adopted, those changes will alter how riders pay (mobile app and smart cards) and how per-ride costs accumulate toward a capped day or month price.