- February 26th, 2024
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The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is giving out $1 million in free rides as part of a program looking to grow transportation access to those in need after concerns that RTD’s existing discount program left behind some of the most in need.
The new program was planned as part of RTD’s 2023 Fare Study and Equity Analysis, which also simplified and lowered fares and launched a pilot program making rides free for anyone 19 and younger.
Under the Transit Assistance Grant (TAG) program, nonprofits can apply for grants up to $50,000 that they can then use to distribute 10-ticket rides to clients they serve for free. “These grants equate to increased independence, access to essential services and employment resources, and improved community connections for thousands of immediate-needs members in the Denver metro area,” said RTD Director of Civil Rights Division Carl Green, Jr. in a statement Friday.
RTD used to have a similar discount program for nonprofits in the past, but ended it in 2019 in favor of a different program called LiVE that allowed low-income people to apply for 40 percent discounted passes. But a CPR investigation from 2020 found that the new program presented a number of barriers to people in need who lacked things like proper income documents or a cell phone, or struggled to keep track of documents including the LiVE card required to ride.
“Recognizing that access to public transit is access to opportunity, RTD established the Transit Assistance Grant program to help individuals with immediate needs to use transit,” said RTD Director of Civil Rights Division Carl Green, Jr. in a statement Friday. “A recurring theme from customers is the amount of time for enrollment into the LiVE income-based fare discount program. TAG is meant to help fill the gap on a temporary basis for customers with urgent transportation-related requirements.”
In Allegheny County, low-income transit riders could see permanent relief in fares in Allegheny County as local officials look to expand a successful pilot program that ran for 12 months beginning in December 2022 and saw nearly 15,000 participants—more than 9,500 adults and about 5,000 children.
In late December, ex-Allegheny County Rich Fitzgerald announced that the county reached an agreement with Pittsburgh Regional Transit to fund a program that provides discounted transit fares to residents on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or food stamps.
The pilot provided free monthly Pittsburgh Regional Transit passes, discounted fare passes for half-off rides and ConnectCards preloaded with $10 to people on SNAP. County officials said preliminary findings from the pilot showed that, on average, the 50% discounts resulted in a fourfold increase in ridership compared to those who did not receive a discount. Those with free fares doubled their ridership compared to those who saw a 50% discount.
The county said participants reported cost savings on public transportation and a reduced likelihood of facing challenges in commuting to work thanks to the pilot.
The proposed permanent program would be eligible to Allegheny County residents between the ages of 6 to 64 who are receiving SNAP benefits. The Allegheny County Department of Human Services will fund the program, and officials said it could benefit nearly 134,000 people, including more than 80,000 living within walking distance of transit stations and bus stops.
The PRT Board will need to take action on the agreement in the first quarter of 2024, but the program will be funded through DHS. More details will be forthcoming following board action, but individuals receiving SNAP benefits will be eligible for a 50% fare discount when using PRT buses and light rail. Both Allegheny County and PRT expressed a shared commitment to exploring options for augmenting the discount, with the ultimate goal of providing cost-free PRT trips for individuals with limited financial means.
Source: Denverite, TribLive & Allegheny County
