No Free Fare Zone?

Our Utah Transit Authority (UTA) wants our Salt Lake City Mayor to sign an order (releasing them from their agreed contract obligations, by the way) eliminating the Free Fare Zone for buses in downtown.  There was strong public opposition to this proposal at last night's Salt Lake City Council Meeting. Several diverse members of our community gave their view, along with a few transit officers and bus drivers. Comment continued for about 90 minutes. Here is a transcript of my personal comments at the meeting:

First, let me say that everyone from UTA is talking money here on an issue that is about people, and we know which people will suffer most without the Free Fare Zone (FFZ). I'm amazed at the complaints from transit police and drivers. Rider safety, fare collection, and control of  what happens on public transit is UTA's responsibility. These problems are hardly exclusive to downtown. Furthermore I find it ineffective for authorities to cite people who may be homeless and unemployed, will never pay the fine or attend the amnesty class, will then have a warrant issued and perhaps end up in jail over a bus or train fare. Eliminating the FFZ is a bad idea. It will severely limit the mobility of elderly people, people with disabilities, homeless individuals and families, and people living with a low/fixed income. The FFZ is a crucial resource for these people to access charitable, medical, employment and social services, municipal and state offices, courts, and their jobs. Many others rely on downtown buses to get to their places of business, places of worship, downtown parks, and art and entertainment venues. I ride the bus  and train frequently, and have engaged out-of-towners about their experience in our city. They frequently express their gratitude for the FFZ. Eliminating the FFZ does not align with the city's visions of sustainability, traffic mobility, or clean air, It is not in keeping with our vision of a vibrant, active downtown. Steps toward a distance based fare may be a good idea for those who are utilizing intercity and express modes of public transit. It will prove exclusionary for the aforementioned groups. It may well lead to an immediate drop in ridership because those who live further away from city center won't pay the increased fare, and some won't be able to afford it.  People who rely on public transit have already recently endured frequent rate hikes, reductions in hours of service, and elimination of routes. UTA is definitely NOT going our way. A bus fare may not seem like a lot of money, but every cent counts, especially these days, and more especially to those who could not get around without the FFZ. Please keep fares in downtown free.

The council decided to hear further public comment before making any recommendations or reaching a final decision. To find out more about Salt Lake City Council Meetings and how you can comment on this and other issues, click on the following links:


http://council.slcgov.com/resources/PPT_Updates/Inst_Policy/082011_RulesofProcedure.pdf

http://council.slcgov.com/pages/meetings.htm

You can have a voice and make a difference.


-Your editor


*Photo of Salt Lake City and County Building by John Wilkes.