Several months after Capital Metro officials announced a potential phased approach to increasing its fares for the first time since 2015, the board unanimously voted Sept. 28 on an increase effective Jan. 10, 2027, with another increase planned for January 2029.
How we got here
In a July news release, CapMetro officials said the fare increases would create a "more fiscally sustainable source of revenue" for the agency.
"The support CapMetro receives from local sales tax revenues often allows the agency to mitigate the effects of inflation and the rising costs of operating an expanding transit system," officials said in the release.
The agency later held a variety of community engagement efforts to garner feedback on the fare increases, including four in-person public meetings and public comments accepted online.
What's changing
Fares for a single ride are set to increase to the following:
Local service and Pickup service: $1.25 (current), $1.50 (January 2027), $2.00 (January 2029)
Commuter (Express and Rail) service: $3.50 (current), $4.00 (January 2027), $5.00 (January 2029)
CapMetro Access service: $1.75 (current), $2.25 (January 2027), $3.25 (January 2029)
Reduced Fare program
Customers currently enrolled in the reduced fare program—seniors, riders with disabilities, Medicare recipients and active or reserve military members—will continue to receive the 50% discount under the new changes, per the agency.
However, the program will also have fare increases. Reduced Local service fares will increase from $0.60 to $0.75 in January 2027 and $1 in January 2029. Reduced Commuter service fares will increase from $1.75 to $2 in January 2027 and $2.50 in January 2029.
Officials also said there are plans to expand the program to include veterans and households at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.
Quote of note
"I just think this is not an easy decision, and I know it's one that we've taken our time on. It's not a knee-jerk reaction. The truth is, costs have gone up—maintenance costs, fuel costs, operation costs. ... It's a tough call, but it's something that we're stair-stepping, and it's something that we have not done in ten years. That's what I'm taking into consideration." -Dianne Bangle, CapMetro board of directors
