Ride On: Fare-Free Transit
Fare revenue collapsed: $10M → $1.6M → $0. The transit budget is $211M. Here's the cost per rider and the farebox question.
Before / After
Fare revenue (before)
$10M
Pre-decline
Fare revenue (mid)
$1.6M
Fare revenue (now)
$0
Transit budget
$211M
With $0 fare revenue
The $22M Farebox Question
Was eliminating fares really cheaper than modernizing fareboxes? The county chose to go fare-free rather than invest in updated fare collection. Cost per rider and comparison to other jurisdictions' transit subsidies are key metrics. Ridership demographics vs. who pays property taxes is part of the who-benefits analysis.