Taking the Bus is Going to Cost More

The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) has announced that fares on RTC buses will be increased an average of 8.9% starting May 4. The current $1.75 adult fare on RTC RIDE (the Reno / Sparks bus system) will jump to $2, and some other fares will be raised as well. RTC RIDE will also trim the number of trips buses make on certain routes as another cost-cutting measure. There will be no increases for RTC ACCESS, the paratransit bus system. Still pending are decisions about fare and service changes for RTC INTERCITY (service between Reno and Carson City) and Sierra Spirit, the free downtown Reno transit line. According to an article in the Reno Gazette-Journal, the increases will make our fares some of the nation's highest.

RTC riders pay about 36% of the cost of running the system, with the balance coming from part of Washoe County's sales tax revenue. The RTC board has reported tax revenue coming up about a million short, thus necessitating the fare increases and service cuts. To learn more about Reno / Tahoe public transportation, visit the RTC Public Transportation website. To see all the proposed fare changes, go to the Proposed RTC RIDE Service Changes notice.