NAIPTA Board of Directors & CEO
3773 N Kaspar Dr
Flagstaff, Arizona 86004
Re: Make Mountain Line Bus Fare-Free!
Dear NAIPTA Board of Directors & CEO,
We write to encourage you to make Mountain Line Bus fare-free. Cities across the country are removing fares from public transit—from Tacoma to Albuquerque to Boston—to increase ridership, boost local economies, reduce environmental impact, decrease traffic congestion, and provide transportation for low- and middle-income workers and families who often can’t afford to drive a car (or two) as they face rising housing costs and inflation. And the move often makes financial sense. Will you join us in making Mountain Line fare-free?
Nearly 1 in 5 (17.4%) of Flagstaff’s residents were living in poverty in 2021—1.5 times the national rate of 11.6%.1 Researchers find that access to public transportation is one of the most important factors in determining a person’s ability to rise out of poverty—stronger than crime, elementary-school test scores, or the percentage of two-parent families in the community.2
Fares comprised only 8% of Mountain Line’s operating revenues in fiscal year 2022 and 5% in 2021. Corvallis, Oregon began its fare-free bus system in 2011 when fares were 11% of its operating revenues.3 Kansas City started its fare-free bus system in 2019 when fares were 12% of its operating revenues.4 A fare-free Mountain Line Bus system could have been possible with $616,000 additional funding in fiscal year 2022 ($275,000 in 2021).
The cost of transitioning to a fare-free system is typically much less after accounting for the expense of collecting fares and the improved efficiencies of operating fare-free. Kansas City was spending $2-3 million annually to collect $8 million in fares for example. Cities often find creative ways when necessary to offset the costs of fare-free systems through grants, special tax districts, private-sector sponsors, “transit fees” added to water bills (to reduce administrative costs), and more.
The price of making Mountain Line fare-free is low compared to the benefits it can provide to our community, economy, environment, and congested roadways. Will you join us in making Mountain Line fare-free?
Sincerely,
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[1] https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/flagstaffcityarizona
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/poverty-awareness-month.html
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/07/upshot/transportation-emerges-as-crucial-to-escaping-poverty.html
[3] https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Planning/Documents/Case-Study-Fare-Free-Transit-Corvallis.pdf
[4] https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/14/zero-fare-public-transit-movement-gains-momentum.html