ColumBUS Transit is planning to propose some changes to the city’s five bus routes — including increasing the city bus fare for the first time in at least 40 years.
The cost of a single ride would go up $0.25, from $0.25 to $0.50, said Columbus Transit Coordinator Cindy Setser.
Paratransit buses — also known as the Call-a-BUS service — for people with disabilities who can’t access the fixed bus routes, would increase from $0.50 to $1.
Additionally, city transit officials are looking at potential changes to Route 4, which goes down State Street, including adding designated stops and increasing stop accessibility, Setser said.
Currently, city buses can stop at any street corner on State Street, she said.
“(Route 4) triples the ridership of other other routes,” Setser said. “It’s so busy that it’s running behind a lot.”
City officials, however, have not yet officially proposed any changes.
First, city transit officials would present the proposed changes to the Columbus Transit Advisory Committee, which can issue a recommendation for or against the proposed changes, Setser said. Then, the Columbus Board of Public Works would have to sign off on the changes before they become official.
“This is a process that will take some time, and we will have public comment sessions about it as well,” she said.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
