Letter: Reinstate bus fares

The city recently raised our utility taxes on our electric, water, and natural gas bills. I strongly agree with councilwoman Nikki Lee who voted against tax increases because she said the city could raise more money by reinstating bus fares. Two comprehensive reviews by the Transit Cooperative Research Program — 2012 and 2023 —surveyed dozens of fare-free systems nationwide. The 2012 review observed that fare-free transit is typically limited to small, university, and resort communities, while larger urban areas have avoided it due to concerns over revenue shortfalls. The 2023 report echoed this. Denver eliminated fares downtown during the 1970s. Ridership increased significantly, but buses became overcrowded and vandalism spiked. Austin’s 1989–90 trial produced similar results: severe crowding and increased assaults. Sound familiar? On Christmas Eve a SunTran rider stabbed another rider twelve times. The attack was “completely random and without provocation.” It is the 12th violent incident connected to Sun Tran that has been reported since April. Enough is enough. Let’s reinstate bus fares.