RTA Now Offering Seven-Day Bus Passes
Posted on: Monday, 17 April 2006, 21:00 CDT
By Amy Frye, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Calif.
Apr. 17--RIVERSIDE -- In an attempt to increase ridership, Riverside Transit Authority will begin offering seven-day bus passes for $12 starting today.
"What happened was ridership dropped when we raised the fares almost a year ago so we're trying to encourage people to ride more," said Scott Richardson, spokesman for RTA.
When monthly passes increased from $34 to $43 and day passes went up from $2.50 to $3.75 a year ago, RTA's ridership dropped by 9 percent across the county, Richardson said. "When the monthly passes went up to $43, for a lot of people that was a lot of money to pay at one time, so a lot switched to paying the daily cash fare," Richardson said.
Currently the daily cash fare for a one-time ride costs $1.25.
Richardson said the new weekly pass will be cheaper for riders, in comparison to buying multiple one-time rides for $1.25 each or day passes for $3.75 each.
Although paying $48 total for four individual week passes would cost more than buying one $43 month pass, Richardson said, the fact that customers won't have to pay a large sum at once may be attractive to some.
"It gives them the option of not paying as much money up front," Richardson said.
Yolanda De Casas, who sells RTA passes at the Cash For Checks store on Sixth Street in Corona, said she thinks customers will be interested in the seven-day pass.
"Before we did have people ask for weekly passes," De Casas said, adding, "It's going to be better, it's only $12, the general (month pass) right now is $43."
De Casas said she thinks the new passes will be especially popular during the summer, when students are out of school and tend to use the bus more.
In a press release announcing the new seven-day pass, RTA Chairman Jeff Fox said the agency is continually trying to offer customers more choices.
"Public transportation should be efficient, convenient and most of all, affordable," Fox said in the press release.
The new passes will cost $12 for seven consecutive days of riding an RTA bus and can be purchased online, through the mail and at stores that sell bus passes.
If after three months the passes appear to be popular, RTA will consider offering them on a permanent basis.
For more information visit www.riversidetransit.com or call 1-800-800-7821 or (951) 565-5002.
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Copyright (c) 2006, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Calif.
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Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
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