Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission discuss possibility of transit fare
The possibility of introducing a fare to ride the public transit was discussed by the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission as part of their monthly work session Tuesday.
In a discussion led by ACC transit director Victor Pope, the M&C was presented with different breakdowns of transit fares in similar markets across the country. They looked at possible scenarios such as $1 a ride or a monthly pass and how that would impact Athens long term.
Currently it is free to ride the buses in Athens.
No decisions or votes were made or on the agenda as the meeting was just an informational session, but the commissioners and Mayor Kelly Girtz made sure to ask questions and have their opinions heard.
Girtz summed up the group’s thoughts.
“We can say yes, we would like no fare, but if there has to be a fare, a buck is kind of our max,” Girtz said. “Is that a fair group thing that we could say?”
The next step in possible transit fare will be continued research into the possible outcomes and more discussions before a vote is eventually taken.
