Terre Haute Transit Goes Fare-Free

Terre Haute, Indiana is making public transit fare-free as of January 2, reports Ethan Sandweiss for Indiana Public Media.

According to the city, fare revenue currently covers less than 5 percent of operating costs, while ridership increases by as much as 50 percent on days when rides are free. For transportation director Debbie Hensley, this — and the drop in ridership since the pandemic — signals that the benefits of free transit will outweigh the cost. 

Sandweiss adds that eliminating fares also improves the efficiency of the service and reduces the chance of altercations between riders and operators.