Snotrac Speaker Series: Fair Fares & Fare Faeries

Join Snotrac on Thursday, March 31, 12-1 p.m. for a panel discussion on establishing fair fares and fair fare enforcement.

In recent years, there has been a growing call for reducing or eliminating fares on public transit as a means of increasing access to low income riders.  Island Transit has always had free fares, and following the passage of a local ballot measure in 2019, Intercity Transit (Olympia) piloted establishing free fares which it has since kept.  Sauk-Suiattle's DC Direct, Snoqualmie Valley Transportation, and Snow Goose Transit also are already fare free with donation options.  In addition, during the lockdown period of the pandemic, all transit agencies in the region temporarily eliminated fare payment.  And just this spring, the Washington Legislature authorized more than $1.4 billion for transit agencies, subject to the agencies making fares free to those 18 or younger.  

The Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 also…