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TO: |
Local Advisory Council |
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THROUGH: |
Jay Fox, Executive Director |
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FROM: |
William Greene, Chief Financial Officer |
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PRESENTER(S): |
Monica Morton, Fares Director |
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Kensey Kunkel, Mgr. Business Development-Sales |
TITLE:
title
Low Income Fares
end
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Informational report for discussion
BACKGROUND:
In 2021, UTA launched and made permanent two programs targeted at increasing transit access to groups of low-income individuals: the Human Service Program and the Reduced Fare Program. The first program is targeted specifically at entities that provide low-income services to homeless and/or others in need. The second program allows users to qualify and purchase a pass directly from UTA. Both programs have different characteristics and discounts which are outlined below:
Human Service Program
UTA has partnered with over 90 Human Service Organizations that provide services to clients that are in critical need of basic services such as housing, food, and transportation. This program is intended to help populations that cannot afford transit but need it.
These Organizations purchase UTA passes at a seventy-five percent (75%) discount off the public fare rate and distribute the passes at no charge to their clients. Two pass types are available and are valid on Local UTA Service:
• 30-Day Pass: $21.25
• Day Pass: $1.25
For individuals wishing to utilize FrontRunner service, Human Service Organizations may purchase UTA FAREPAY Cards at a 75% discount rate.
In 2021, nearly thirty-two thousand (32,000) trips were taken using a Human Service pass.
Reduced Fare Program
This program, launched in 2021, is for individuals that are at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level and do not qualify for one of the Human Service programs and the associated 75% discount on the published fare rate. The Reduced Fare Program allows qualifying individuals to receive a discount of 50% on their transit purchases. This program is the first at UTA to offer fare discounts to low-income individuals.
In an effort to increase program participation and ease of use, the UTA Fares team collaborated with UTA’s Information Technology Department to create and launch an online application database and portal. This portal allowed individuals to apply and qualify to receive a UTA FAREPAY card. The FAREPAY card is programmed to give the card holder a discount of fifty percent on UTA’s published fares. Since June, UTA has issued 273 low-income FAREPAY Cards and generated about 500 trips.
DISCUSSION:
This discussion will focus on providing additional details about both the Human Service Program and the Reduced Fare Program.
ALTERNATIVES:
Not Applicable
FISCAL IMPACT:
The anticipated revenue from both programs has been accounted for in the 2022 UTA Budget
ATTACHMENTS:
None