Wichita city council members have approved a plan to provide 20-ride passes for the city’s bus system.
Wichita Transit director Mike Tann says the passes will provide low-cost access to transportation for people who have had financial struggles as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Tann said the passes will be sold for $20 through August 18th. They will not have an expiration date, and Tann says they will be helpful to people who don’t ride the bus on a daily basis. He says the passes will create more opportunities for people to use the transit system.
The city will use federal coronavirus relief funds to cover the cost of the program, and Tann estimates that 5,000 passes will be sold. He said the relief funds would provide reimbursement of $65,000 to the city for the program.
Tann also said ridership is coming back, and the program of free bus rides on Saturdays has helped to increase the number of riders in the system.
