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Transportation board approves six-month fare-free pilot for downtown connector
Summary
The board approved a six-month pilot to make the downtown connector fare-free over the holiday season to boost ridership and ease downtown parking demand; staff said the goal is to return monthly ridership above 10,000 from current averages of about 6,000–6,500.
The Transportation Authority on Monday voted to approve a six-month, fare-free pilot for the downtown connector aimed at increasing transit ridership during the holiday season.
Isaac, a staff member who presented the proposal, said the pilot is designed to "increase ridership, encourage residents and visitors to use public transportation" around events such as the city’s holiday festivities and a light show at Covenant Hall Park beginning Dec. 9. He said the authority’s goal for the pilot is to "get back to having over 10,000 riders on a monthly basis"; recent averages are about "6 to 6,500."
Supporters said removing the fare for the downtown connector could improve job access and reduce parking demand downtown during high-attendance events. A board member moved to approve the pilot and, after splitting the initial combined motion, the board took a separate voice vote on the downtown connector item and the chair declared the motion carried.
The vote was taken by voice; the board did not provide a roll-call tally in the meeting transcript. Staff will implement the pilot for six months and monitor ridership numbers to measure its effect.
The pilot was discussed alongside a separate set of temporary service adjustments elsewhere in the system, which the board approved later in the meeting with additional conditions requiring a staff report on restoration priorities.
