Sacramento transit agency to lower fares

The Sacramento Regional Transit District's (SacRT) board on Monday agreed to reduce fares in a bid to boost ridership.

The board approved staff recommendations to use funds from cost-cutting measures and operational savings to "invest back in the Sacramento community," agency officials said in a press release.

The fare cut is the first in the agency's 47-year history, according to SacRT.

The agency aims to implement the fare reduction as early as October 2018. Under the plan, the cost of a basic single ride would decrease by 25 cents to $2.50, while a basic monthly pass would drop $10 to $100. 

The agency also would reimplement a 25-cent transfer ticket, which allows riders who purchase a single-ride ticket with cash to transfer between bus and light rail or vice versa. Passengers already can transfer for free using electronic fare cards.

"I am pleased that SacRT has been able to stabilize our financial outlook to reduce fares and improve service for all of our customers," said SacRT General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Henry Li. "SacRT has spent the past three years relentlessly improving SacRT's efficiencies and effectiveness, and building reserves."

SacRT's organizational changes and operational efficiency efforts have helped build reserves of about $10 million, according to SacRT Chair Patrick Kennedy.

The agency's board in early 2016 raised fares to $2.75.

Among other ridership-building efforts, SacRT in January 2019 will boost light-rail service frequency from 30 minutes to 15 minutes.