Metro - File #: 2021-0336

• File #: 2021-0336
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Non-Calendar
• File created: 5/12/2021
• In control: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• On agenda: 5/27/2021
• Title: Adopt the Fareless System Initiative Pilot Program. A. Approve a twenty-three (23) month Fareless System Initiative Pilot; cost-sharing negotiations are underway B. Authorization of three Full Time Employee (FTE) positions: one Deputy Executive Officer and two support FTE; staff will be housed in the Office of the CEO; additional staffing needs to be assessed going forward.
• Sponsors: Executive Management Committee
• Indexes: Access Services Inc., Access-To-Jobs, Accessibility, Air quality, Americans With Disabilities Act, Barriers (Roads), Better Bus Program, Budgeting, Cleaning, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Customer Experience Plan, Fare Structure, Fare Zone, Farebox, Fareless System Initiative, Federal Transit Administration, Formula Allocation Procedure, Formula Funds, Funding plan, GoPass, Housing, Informational Report, Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE), Maintenance, Metro Equity Platform, Metro Vision 2028 Plan, Operating revenues, Outreach, Paratransit services, Payment, Persons with disabilities, Pilot studies, Program, Proposition A, Public Safety Advisory Committee, Regional transportation, Research, Ridership, Safety, Safety and security, Section 5307, Security, State laws, State Of Good Repair, Strategic planning, Students, Subsidies, Surveys, System safety, Testing, Title VI Requirements, Traffic Reduction Study, Transfers, Transit operators, Transit Radio System, Transit System, Transportation policy, Vehicle miles of travel, Weight

Date	Action By	Action	Result
5/20/2021	Executive Management Committee

Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
MAY 20, 2021

Subject
SUBJECT: FARELESS SYSTEM INITIATIVE

Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS

Heading
RECOMMENDATION

Title
Adopt the Fareless System Initiative Pilot Program.

A. Approve a twenty-three (23) month Fareless System Initiative Pilot; cost-sharing negotiations are underway

B. Authorization of three Full Time Employee (FTE) positions: one Deputy Executive Officer and two support FTE; staff will be housed in the Office of the CEO; additional staffing needs to be assessed going forward.

Issue
ISSUE

Metro staff seeks approval of a proposed 23-month Fareless System Initiative Pilot. The proposed pilot would 1) offer fareless transit to students grades K-12 as well Community College students starting in August 2021, (cost-sharing negotiations are underway), and 2) would expand to include qualified low-income riders starting on January 1, 2022, for which additional funding will be sought and a final funding plan will be developed. The pilot would conclude on June 30, 2023 for all participants. At the conclusion of the pilot, the Board may consider extending, modifying, or discontinuing fareless service.

Background
BACKGROUND

In September 2020, the Metro CEO initiated the Fareless System Initiative (FSI) Task Force to embark on an intensive process of studying and identifying facts, challenges, opportunities, and recommendations related to eliminating fares on Metro buses and trains. The FSI Task Force has collected internal and external feedback through fact-finding and coordination to:
* Evaluate internal processes related to ridership projections, data collection, fare collection, financial considerations, funding opportunities, cost savings and potential labor impacts
* Assess the overall impact to the customer experience, including security, homelessness, operational capacity, and readiness
* Evaluate connections and ensure alignment with other agency-wide initiatives such as Metro's Visi...