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A MOTION relating to public transportation; acknowledging receipt of the Cashless Fare Engagement Report submitted in response to the 2026-2027 Biennial Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 20023, Section 116, Proviso P10.
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WHEREAS, the 2026-2027 Biennial Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 20023, Section 116, Proviso P10, states that $100,000 shall not be expended or encumbered until the executive transmits a cashless fare engagement report and a motion that acknowledges receipt of the report is passed by the council, and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 20023, Section 116, Proviso P10 directs that the report shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
A. A summary of the engagement efforts the Metro transit department has taken to ensure that transit riders who may face barriers to a cashless transition are prepared for the proposed transition to a system in which cash fares are no longer accepted on board buses, including but not limited, to:
1. Outreach to seniors, particularly those living independently, to provide, promote, and educate on the use of the regional reduced fare permit ORCA card that offers reduced fares for seniors and people with disabilities;
2. Outreach to low-income people to provide, promote, and educate on the use of the ORCA LIFT low-income fare card that offers reduced fares for people with incomes at or below two hundred percent of the federal poverty level;
3. Multilingual outreach to multilingual communities, including coordination with community-based organizations to provide, promote, and educate on income- and age-appropriate ORCA fare cards; and
4. Coordination with human services agencies that purchase fare payment media from the Metro transit department under the program authorized at K.C.C. 4A.700.210 on alternative fare media for that program; and
B. An update on the proposed timeline to a system in which cash fares are no longer accepted on board buses, including the specific achievements the Metro transit depar...
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