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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Sun Tran fare increases remain uncertain

%09The+Sun+Tran+bus+approaches+the+downtown+Ronstadt+Transit+Center+on+Saturday.+It+is+unclear+at+this+time+whether+or+not+the+city+of+Tucson+will+raise+fares+for+Sun+Tran+buses.
Grace Pierson

The Sun Tran bus approaches the downtown Ronstadt Transit Center on Saturday. It is unclear at this time whether or not the city of Tucson will raise fares for Sun Tran buses.

It is unclear right now whether or not the city will approve proposed Sun Tran fare increases for the 2015 fiscal year.

In a memo regarding the upcoming budget, the city did not approve a 25-cent increase in bus fares, according to an article released by the Arizona Daily Star on April 21.

Kandi Young, communications and marketing director at Sun Tran, said that Sun Tran is continuing its compilation of user opinions and feedback, and will present its findings to Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and the city council in about a month.

On April 2, Sun Tran hosted an information session in the Student Union Memorial Center Kiva Room to gather student and faculty input on the proposed fare increase and route changes.

Students and faculty had the ability to ask representatives of Sun Tran about the changes, and were encouraged to fill out a survey providing input that is currently being compiled and will eventually be presented to Mayor Rothschild and the city council prior to their decision regarding the proposed changes.

Bill Davidson, manager of public information and marketing at UA Parking and Transportation Services, urged students and faculty to participate in the information session and give their feedback because around 3,000 Sun Tran passes have been purchased from the PTS office.

Following a Comprehensive Operational Analysis that was completed in February, the Sun Tran was able to analyze routes and fares and conduct on-board rider surveys, according to Young. From this information, three different options were developed regarding how Sun Tran could gradually increase fares over the next 10 years, she added.

Young said the three proposed bus fare increase options, include a plan for small incremental increases through 2025.

She had previously stated that she believes the mayor and council will choose a mixture of the three options, heavily based on user feedback.

“We are still moving forward,” Young said.

-Follow news reporter Lauren Niday on Twitter @lauren_niday

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