New fare system could be introduced to the city of Regina’s public transportation system this summer

Public transit users in Regina may experience some changes to the way they pay for their rides this summer.

During the council’s Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday, Kurtis Doney, deputy city manager of city operations, said the replacement (which was approved as part of the 2023 budget) would improve customer service.

“There is more emphasis on accessibility through the use of everyday media such as credit cards, debit cards, smartphones and smart cards,” he said.

If approved, the new tariff system will come into effect on 1 August 2024. The system includes a cash register for coins and paper money, the ability to use credit and debit cards, replacement of the R-Card with a new smart card, a web portal for online top-ups, a mobile app and tariff caps.

Fare caps allow travelers to load fares onto their app or card, with the system deducting the fare based on how much the traveler has used in the month. After a certain number of rides, the fare is “capped” and all rides after that are free.

“Regina Transit will simplify its current fare structure by making fare purchasing more accessible, making fares fairer and eliminating individual practices that have arisen due to the limitations of the previous fare collection system,” he said.

For example, an adult who takes the bus during the day pays $2.90 per ride from their account until their third ride, and every ride after that is free. They pay that way until they spend $88 worth of value for the month. After they reach 31 rides in the month, all rides after that are free for the month.

Currently, the adult fare for a single ride is $3.25. This system allows passengers to save money by paying less per ride.

Doney said there would be an estimated $100,000 loss of revenue during the first year until the rate cap initiative takes effect.

“But once that takes hold and residents see the convenience of fare caps, we expect ridership to increase and revenues to rise to around 250,000 a year in the coming years,” he said.

Mayor Sandra Masters told reporters after the meeting that the maximum fare system has advantages.

“Beyond just university and international students, but also the ability to borrow online to pay with your smartphone to pay with a credit card or debit card, in some ways makes public transit much more accessible,” she said. “But again, that idea of ​​fare caps is important in general for the affordability of public transit.”

“The idea is that we get people back into technology because it will ultimately benefit them.”

The fare system replacement was funded in the 2023 budget with $1.7 million and is expected to remain within budget. The fare changes will not impact the number of employees.

The changes to the public transport fares regulation will be submitted to the municipal council for final approval on 6 March.

Other topics discussed during Wednesday’s council meeting included building permits, plot demarcation and drainage.

Meanwhile, the Globe Theatre’s $1.9 million funding request has been delayed until March 13, 2024.