Tucson's buses have been fare-free since March 2020.
Tucson's budget for fiscal year 2027 includes funding for its free transit program, reports Payton May for KOLD.
The city, which faces a budget deficit of $17 million, has been subsidizing transit for six years. "Tucson City Manager Tim Thomure estimated that transit fares would bring in $8.5 million in net revenue. However, he said restarting fare collection would cost $1 million up front, and an additional $6 million to be viable after 2028." A city study also suggested that one-third of riders would stop using the bus if fares returned.
According to Thomure, "Only under the most robust fare scenarios do we actually make money, make more money in than out, covering the cost of collection."
Read the full story: Public transit fares likely to remain free in Tucson despite deficit, pushback
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