As city bus riders face the prospect of a cash fare increase, along with a variety of new and expanded discount programs, the mayor brought forward an idea of his own – low-cost or no-cost bus fare for the city’s youth.
It's a idea he has raised in the past.
“This is something I have a lot of passion about,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie during Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting, noting his intent is to offer an incentive for high school students to use Guelph Transit, with a similar program for seniors potentially in the future. “I really want to try to encourage (early adoption of transit to get around).”
A motion directing staff to investigate the idea in advance of the 2024 to 2027 city budget process, which gets underway this September, was unanimously approved by the committee but still needs ratification at council.
Guthrie said he was ready to bring the idea forward to the committee’s meeting in April of 2020, which was the first to be cancelled in response to the pandemic.
Just before the mayor’s motion, the committee unanimously approved a new fare strategy for Guelph Transit including the first fee increase in seven years and making the pilot Kids Ride Free program permanent.
The committee-approved strategy includes a proposal to increase the cash fare from $3 to $3.25 beginning in September, with the same rate for tap debit and credit card payments which will also be allowed as of 2025.
It’s proposed that the cash fare price rise by 25 cents every two years beginning in 2026.
The last cash fare increase was implemented in 2016.
“Guelph Transit has made many service enhancements since the last fare increase, such as expanding route 99 Mainline Sunday service hours, increasing midday frequency on several routes, and reinstating conventional service to the Hanlon Creek Business Park,” the strategy report states.
“Regular increases in fares will allow Guelph Transit to continue to make service enhancements and provide additional support for upcoming capital projects, such as new shelters at Guelph Central Station as well as digital signs at the University of Guelph bus loop, Guelph Central Station, and Stone Road Mall.”
No immediate change is planned for the cost of travel paid online, which is $2.80 for adults.
The Kids Ride Free program, which offers no-fee rides for children age 12 and younger, was set to expire at the end of February. However, during 2023 city budget confirmation talks in January, city council agreed to extend the program until the fare strategy was completed and a recommendation presented to council.
It’s now proposed to be made permanent.
The program, which was implemented as a pilot project on March 1, 2022 and was used more than 10,000 times in its first seven months, comes with an anticipated $117,000 revenue loss for 2023, along with $38,100 in operating costs.
Overall, recommendations within the fare strategy are expected to result in a $5,200 revenue bump this year, the staff report notes. Between 2024 and 2027, revenue is anticipated to grow by another $151,900.
