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Fare-Free Transit Evaluation Framework (2023) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 1-4

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From page 1...
... While fare-free transit exists on a spectrum of fare policies and programs that includes discounted fares, this report focuses solely on the evaluation of fare-free transit alternatives. Fare-Free Transit Evaluation in Practice To understand the current state of the practice of fare-free transit evaluation and inform the development of the evaluation framework for this report, the research team completed a transit agency survey and interviews with staff from transit agencies, community organizations, and transit advocacy groups.
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From page 2...
... • Fare-free transit evaluations: How transit agencies have evaluated the impacts and long term success of fare-free transit in their communities. Fare-Free Transit Impacts The research team identified four main themes in the fare-free transit impacts that transit agencies across the country are focused on: access, mobility, and equity; operational efficiency; financial health; and community impacts (Exhibit S-2)
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From page 3...
... Costs May lead to overcapacity on some trips and require additional service May increase paratransit demand and require additional service May restrict a transit agency's ability to collect ridership data May increase the presence of disruptive passengers and result in additional security costs and impacts Financial Health Benefits Reduces or eliminates fare collection costs May reduce overall cost per passenger trip May expand transit agency eligibility for new funding sources Costs Eliminates farebox revenue, which may be considerable for many transit agencies Likely to require new revenue sources, such as taxes, municipal contributions, or private partnerships Community Benefits Impacts May reduce traffic congestion May reduce local pollution and greenhouse gas emissions May catalyze development and/or increase land value May increase community pride Allows riders to spend money in the community that they would have spent on transit Costs May increase public criticism of transit agency and its fare policy Note: Impacts noted in this chart may vary by type of fare-free transit. For example, a partially fare-free transit system may not eliminate farebox equipment, thus the transit agency would not benefit from a reduction in operating and maintenance costs associated with fare collection equipment.
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From page 4...
... Transit Agency Service Area Agency Type Full Fare-Free Area Regional Transit St. Lucie County, FL Small Urban/Rural Cache Valley Transit District Cache Valley, UT Small Urban/Rural Corvallis Transit System Corvallis, OR University Community DASH Alexandria, VA Urban Local GoLine Indian River County, FL Small Urban/Rural Greater Richmond Transit Company Greater Richmond, VA Urban Local Intercity Transit Thurston County, WA Small Urban/Rural Kansas City Area Transportation Authority Greater Kansas City, MO Mid-Sized Regional Link Transit Chelan & Douglas Counties, WA Small Urban/Rural Mountain Line Missoula, MT University Community Partial Fare-Free Denver Regional Transportation District Greater Denver, CO Large Urban Regional Houston METRO Greater Houston, TX Large Urban Regional Iowa City Transit Iowa City, IA University Community Los Angeles Metro Los Angeles County, CA Large Urban Regional Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Greater Boston, MA Large Urban Regional Ride On Montgomery County, MD Urban Local San Francisco Muni San Francisco, CA Urban Local Sandy Area Metro Greater Sandy, OR Small Urban/Rural Steamboat Springs Transit Steamboat Springs, CO Resort Community Utah Transit Authority Wasatch Front, UT Large Urban Regional Not Fare-Free King County Metro King County, WA Large Urban Regional Sun Tran Tucson, AZ Mid-Sized Regional The Rapid Grand Rapids, MI Mid-Sized Regional Exhibit S-4.
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Key Terms

  • transit agency
  • evaluation framework
  • urban regional
  • transit impacts
  • transit evaluation

  • urban local
  • fare collection
  • agency type
  • collect fares
  • study transit

  • transit advocacy
  • university community
  • agency survey
  • eliminates fare
  • team identified

  • community organizations
  • cache valley
  • steamboat springs
  • collection equipment
  • king county

  • iowa city
  • transit authority
  • transit practitioners
  • utah transit
  • intercity transit

  • transit exists
  • neighboring transit
  • transit evaluations
  • accessing transit
  • achieve transit


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