Iowa City's free bus program made ridership spike by 68%. Now, it could go away.

Iowa City's popular free bus program could be in danger if the city doesn't find additional long-term funding to support it, according to an article by Isabelle Foland in Daily Iowan. "In the first two years of the program, the city saw a 68 percent increase in ridership on its buses as well as $3 million in savings for residents who took the cost-free buses, said Darian Nagle-Gamm, the city’s transportation director." Ridership numbers stabilized in the third year, but remains "wildly successful," according to Nagle-Gamm.

However, as federal funding from the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act and American Rescue Plan Act runs out, the patchwork of funding that supports the system may not be enough. "Nagle-Gamm said now that the fare free program has left its pilot stage, the city will continue to evaluate the program on a year to year basis to determine its continuation until the city finds more secure footing in funding."