Drafter
Clerk 09/24/2024
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AN ORDINANCE relating to public transportation, revising the low-income fare rate; amending Ordinance 19705, Section 1, as amended, and K.C.C. 4A.700.010 and establishing an effective date.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. K.C.C. 4A.700.010 provides for fares for regularly scheduled county public transportation service on buses, trolleys, transit vans, dial-a-ride vehicles, and streetcars, including fares for adults, children, youth, seniors and persons with disabilities and low-income riders.
2. The King County Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation, 2021-2031, as adopted by Ordinance 19367, includes a strategy to "Align fares with other service providers, meet revenue targets, and advance equity through Metro's income-based approach to fares."
3. As part of an income-based approach to fares, the Metro transit department offers a reduced low-income fare available to persons who apply for and are determined to meet the threshold eligibility requirements for the low-income transit program authorized under K.C.C. 4A.700.490 and
receive a valid low-income transit fare product.
4. At the beginning of 2022, both the Metro transit department and Sound Transit charged a $1.50 low-income fare for passengers riding buses and Link light rail.
5. In 2022 the Sound Transit Board approved a six-month pilot to lower ORCA LIFT fares for Link light rail, Sound Transit express buses, and Sounder commuter rail from $1.50 to $1.00, effective September 1, 2022.
6. To ensure alignment between services, the Metro transit department's general manager issued an emergency directive on August 22, 2022, lowering the Metro transit departments ORCA LIFT fare for buses, trolleys, transit vans, dial-a-ride vehicles, and streetcars from $1.50 to $1.00 for the period from September 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022.
7. Ordinance 19532 then approved a $1.00 ORCA LIFT fare as a temporary pilot for the duration of 2023. The temporary reduction was extended ...
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