The City of Madison Transportation Commission unanimously approved a new fare structure for Metro Transit Wednesday. The new structure will include account based ticketing, fare capping and a half-fare program, according to Metro Transit.
New fare technology is expected to be implemented in time for the Bus Rapid Transit system’s launch in fall 2024, according to the New Fare Technology Roll-out Plan.
In a major update to the existing fare system, Metro Transit is transitioning to an account-based fare system that will allow riders to load money onto new smartcards in a “pay-as-they-go” system, according to a March 2024 Equity Report analyzing the fare changes.
The new system will include an extensive network of about 70 sales locations where riders can pick up and load smartcards, City of Madison Chief Development Officer Mick Rusch said during Wednesday’s meeting.
CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, QuickTrip, Dollar General and Speedway are among the locations riders will be able purchase and load cards, Rusch said. Bus Rapid Transit stations will also be equipped with kiosks that dispense smartcards and can load cash, according to the Equity Report.
Under the current Metro Transit fare structure, riders pay different fares based on their ridership criteria, but are all still incentivized to purchase longer term ticket options, according to the Equity Report.
For instance, though adults, senior citizens and low income riders all pay different amounts for 31 day passes — an equity-promoting safeguard within the current structure — all of these groups would still have to pay more in fares if they purchased single day pass tickets at a time, assuming they rode the bus 31 times in a month, according to the Metro Transit Equity Report.
The existing fare structure disadvantages riders who do not have the financial security to purchase higher efficiency fare packages and instead, rely on the less cost-effective packages that offer a cheaper short term solution.
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Metro Transit plans to mitigate negative impacts on low income riders by expanding their half price fare program and distributing fast fare cards for free in 2024, Rusch said. Additionally, cash payments will continue to be accepted on Metro Transit buses for single ride fares.
Under the proposed tariff structure, standard adult riders will be capped at $65 a month, the same price as a current 31 day pass for full-paying adults, meaning a rider could not spend more on single rides than they could to purchase a monthly pass, according to the Equity Report.
The fare proposal also includes a half priced fare structure, with reduced fare caps for eligible riders — passengers who pay with cash will not have access to the share capping benefits, according to the equity report.
