Premium fares riding off into the sunset

The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority is rolling out a surfeit of mostly minor service changes next week, with one big exception. Starting on Sunday, Jan. 8, fares on MetroRapid routes will drop by 50 cents per ride. Single rides on the Nos. 801 and 803 will now cost $1.25, while a day pass will cost $2.50. The fare change also applies to MetroFlyer routes as well. Last fall, the agency’s board of directors voted to eliminate the premium fare category after sustained outcry from the public and less than stellar ridership numbers on the relatively new MetroRapid lines. The reduction brings the routes into alignment with regular local services. Meanwhile, MetroExpress and MetroRail will still have to pay the commuter tier fares. The elimination of premium fares represents the first significant change associated with Connections 2025, the long-term service plan rewrite. The agency had initially planned a sizable change for its MetroExpress routes, but the delayed work on the Mopac Improvement Project have put those efforts in a holding pattern. More information about the fare changes and other minor adjustments to bus service can be found here.