Yesterday a team of representatives from the Affordable Fares Task Force met with RTD staff and board members to discuss the fare increase recommendations and how RTD plans to build accommodations for affordability for low-income riders into their set of fare recommendations. The Task Force asked that RTD not increase fares without also creating an income based pass for those at 150% of the federal poverty level or less (or about $35,000 a year for a family of four).

While focusing specifically on the primary recommendation of the income-based discount pass, the group emphasized a need for the review of pass programs in the fare study to also focus on affordability. A copy of the presentation shared with staff and board members can be found here.

The Affordable Fares Task Force is a group of over 100 nonprofit, philanthropic, public and private sector organizations who have been working together for the past year to encourage RTD to ensure that considerations for affordability for low-income riders are included in the fare study.

To share your own comment about the affordability of bus and light rail fares and passes or other perspectives about the proposed RTD fare recommendations, we encourage you to attend a public hearing between now and April 8th. A complete list of public hearings can be found here.