TOLEDO, Ohio — More than two years after implementing a zero-fare policy as a coronavirus safety measure, the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) has released a structure to renew fares beginning with a pilot program scheduled to kick off Monday, Aug. 1.
TARTA was one of the first public transit agencies in the country to suspend fares in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has not charged for rides since March 2020.
In preparation to begin collecting fares, TARTA conducted a fare study that analyzed the authority’s pre-COVID fare structure; conducted a state and national peer and best practice review; and established fare goals of simplification, alignment, affordability and modernization. Study results were presented to the TARTA Board of Trustees at their May 19 meeting.
TARTA’s simplified fare structure adds a day pass that can be purchased onboard or at area locations, where pre-COVID day passes were available only through the EZfare app. It also expands the types of riders eligible for discounted fares to include veterans and active-duty military.
The Day Pass drops from $5 to $3. The 7-Day Pass remains the same ($15), while the 30-Day Pass goes from $60 to $45.