Fare-free WRTA buses not happening this year

WORCESTER — Worcester Regional Transit Authority officials say the system will not go fare-free this fiscal year.

“At the end of the day, there will be no fare-free experiment in fiscal 2020,” WRTA Administrator Dennis J. Lipka said Thursday at the WRTA Advisory Board meeting. “Despite all the calls and the letters received (in favor of) fare-free service, we have yet to have any one offer to replace the revenue we would need for fiscal 2020.”

Advisory Board Chairman William Lehtola was not optimistic that such an experiment would occur in fiscal 2021 (which begins July 1) either.

But Lipka raised the possibility of some fare-free rides.

“However, we’re not closing the door …” Lipka said, suggesting that should a sponsor be found, some selected routes could go fare-free or perhaps a branded bus could offer free service among rotating routes.

In the meantime, the transit authority will continue to evaluate several fare options — ranging from replacing the cash-box system, to incorporating a cash-free electronic fare system, to free systemwide service — in hopes of adapting to transit riders evolving needs.

“We don’t have answers on where we go with any of our fare systems we have right now without more information,” Lipka said.

In its May report, “The Implications of a Fare-Free WRTA,” the Worcester Regional Research Bureau called the WRTA “a perfect candidate” for a fare-free bus system.

The report calculated that the $2 million to $3 million cost to provide free service could be made up through cost savings, increased governmental aid and partnerships, and it said that offering the service for free would reverse the system’s declining ridership.

The public has largely embraced the idea, as have several city councilors, but WRTA officials have cautioned that converting to a fare-free system is more complex than simply removing fareboxes from buses. Nevertheless, transit authority officials are examining the possibility of going fare-free as they complete a fare analysis.

Meanwhile, the City Council Committee on Public Service and Transportation is holding a public hearing on the idea Monday at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall.

Lipka presented an update on the fare-free discussion Thursday.

He noted that of the 6,800 RTAs in the country, fewer than 50 have any kind of free fares and notable recent fare-free proposals — systemwide in Kansas City, Missouri, and certain routes in Lawrence — have not been significantly been studied or evaluated.

Nevertheless, Lipka said fare-free service has “a ton of opportunities out there and some challenges.”

Opportunities cited included the Research Bureau report, although Lipka noted the study did not examine providing free para-transit service and Council on Aging service, both of which would be required if the system were to go fare-free and which he predicted would mean more like $4 to $5 million would need to be made up in revenue. Other opportunities included last year’s RTA Task Force that emphasized providing innovative service, and an industrywide new focus on passenger management systems that collect data.

But challenges include that the current fare box system is obsolete and expensive, a need for more information about rider needs and desires, and other significant expenditures including an update to scheduling software, and a webpage redo.

Yet fare-free service will remain a category for discussion, as Lipka said that several studies are underway that will examine the idea.

Nevertheless, Lipka said there are other issues that the WRTA must deal with as well. These include a state-funding system that is tying increased ridership to increased funding, primarily through innovation grants. Other issues include goals to increase the ridership base and the number of trips riders take, add new routes and more frequency, and more outreach and marketing of the WRTA service.

All in all, fare-free service is not ready for rush hour.

But Lipka also mentioned some good news: Although the budget is still being put together, he does not expect any fare increases or service cuts this year.