WRTA Transit Fares

[our2cents]

I just took a trip to Cleveland last weekend, and the fares on their RTA are $1.75, and they don't offer transfers. (but you can pay $4 for an all day pass)

Just a minor correction to this statement.  There is a transfer period of 2.5 hrs, similar to Pittsburgh's 3 hr transfer period.  You just can't go back the same bus route on a transfer.

http://www.gcrta.org/ro_fares.asp#8

The all day pass comes in handy if you're shopping, and going to multiple places over the entire day.  Still cheaper to drive.

[jay]

The WRTA should have a family fare or a couples fare.  For one person to take a bus trip downtown and back, it currently costs $2.50 ($1.25 X 2).  The same trip for a couple would be $5.00.  A family with one or more older children would be higher.  Even at today's high gasoline prices, it would still be cheaper for a couple or a family to drive their own car to downtown Youngstown.

[jay]

I believe at one time the WRTA had a zone fare.  If a rider wanted to take the bus out of the city limits, an extra fare was charged.

The bus systems unfortunately does a great job of taking the riders and their money to the suburbs.  The routes should be reworked to service the our city's business districts.  Routes going to the suburbs should be reduced and weekend bus service should be restored.

[northside lurker]

Maybe this belongs in another thread, but I've been thinking about these fares recently.  I just took a trip to Cleveland last weekend, and the fares on their RTA are $1.75, and they don't offer transfers. (but you can pay $4 for an all day pass)

So, what I was thinking is that if the WRTA were to resume all of their services, (evenings and weekends) $1.75 still seems like a better deal than driving.

Also, could the WRTA rethink their suburban service?  The city could be fully covered, but have transfer points at the city borders where riders with a suburban destination could pay an additional $0.25 transfer fare.  There could be 4 or so suburban routes that never go downtown.  One each for Boardman, Austintown, Liberty/Niles (Eastwood Mall)/Warren, and Campbell/Struthers.

Thoughts?

[jay]

The price of gasoline has gone up again in Youngstown.  The WRTA transit fares are listed below.

Adult                                        $1.25
Disabled/Senior                        $  .60
Student (with I.D.)                    $  .75
----------------------
Monthly Passes

Adult Monthly Pass                   $38.00
Disabled/Senior Monthly Pass   $19.00

Monthly passes can only be purchased at Federal Station, 340 Federal Plaza West.