RICHMOND, Va. -- Bus rides in the Richmond region will continue to be free for another year, the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) announced this week.
GRTC’s governing board voted unanimously to extend the pilot program through June of 2024 and possibly beyond — citing a 15% increase in riders, strong public support and importance of transit equity since eliminating ride fares at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
GRTC said they recently received funding from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to support the program through June 2025, with assurances that a local match would be made to offset the total cost of the annual $5.6 million program.
With its vote, the board committed as a region to support the funding gap of the local match for the fiscal year 2024.
The board will continue to study the financial impacts of extending the program beyond June 2024.
“I think we as a board stand committed to collaboratively supporting regional connectivity, and this vote supports that,” GRTC Board of Directors Chairman Tyrone Nelson said via press release. “Ridership for our agency is trending in the opposite direction from what the industry is experiencing, and we believe our Zero-Fare program helps our region stay connected.”
“As ridership continues to outpace previous years, we are optimistic that the value of accessible transit continues to grow with it,” GRTC Interim CEO Sheryl Adams said in a press release. “As we remain focused on the ridership experience, we continue to work towards improving the lives of essential workers, which includes our bus operators.”
To view GRTC bus schedules and stops, head to RideGRTC.com
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