For the first time in more than a decade, Citilink, Fort Wayne’s public transit operator, has proposed raising fares across the board by 17 to 80 percent to address what it calls “anticipated financial challenges.”
That equates to about $0.25 to $0.75 more per route pass, $5 to $9 for 31-day passes, and up to $2 for access and single-ride passes.
The proposed tariff increases can be found in the online proposal.
The proposal also includes replacing outdated ticket machines that process fare payments with a new automated ticket validation system. Citilink said the ticket machines would break down and would need to be repaired, putting the entire bus out of service.
In a statement, Citilink said the ticket machines “will soon be beyond repair. We have decided to upgrade our system in collaboration with Token Transit. New validators will be installed alongside the old ticket machines. These validators will allow passengers to use various payment methods, both digital and physical. The old ticket machines will continue to be used, but only for cash payments. All other tickets, whether mobile or paper, will be scanned by the new validators. Passengers will also be able to pay using mobile tickets, chip cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and finally tap-to-pay with credit or debit cards.”
The public transport operator said the move would reduce maintenance costs and make journeys more efficient through automation.
Citilink announced that it will hold two public hearings on these proposals on August 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Downtown Branch of the Allen County Public Library.
Officials plan to release information from the public hearings on September 3 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., also at the Downtown Branch of the Allen County Public Library.
