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Council directs staff to pursue public comment on charging 12–17 riders on transit
Summary
Transit staff proposed charging riders ages 12–17 after finding that over 25% of riders are in that age band and many trips are non‑school. Council asked for data and directed staff to begin the public comment period to study the proposal and return with specifics.
Transit staff told Winchester City Council on March 10 that more than a quarter of transit riders are ages 12–17 and that many in that group ride for non‑school trips and do not currently pay fares. Staff proposed beginning the required public comment and user‑group outreach to consider charging riders aged 12–17 a fare; the proposal would not apply to younger children accompanied by a parent.
Perry, speaking for transit, said the city would hold public meetings and coordinate with user groups and that, if council wants staff to proceed, the matter would be brought back through committee and then to the full council. “If council is amenable to this, we would go through a public comment period… and then it would come back to council as a separate item,” Perry said.
Councilors supported gathering targeted data — when 12–17 year‑old riders use the system, what proportion of trips are school‑related, and the subsidy per ride — and asked staff to consider narrow exemptions (for school trips during specific times) and coordination with school transportation. Several councilors said they were open to exploring the idea but asked staff to return with detailed ridership timing, cost‑subsidy information and proposed administrative rules before taking formal action.
