City bus rides will be free in Iowa City starting Aug. 1

IOWA CITY — Riding city buses in Iowa City will be free starting Aug. 1 as part of the city’s two-year pilot program.

Removing bus fares will “benefit every single person on every single ride,” Transportation Director Darian Nagle-Gamm previously said. City staff have said removing bus fares will improve the experience for both passengers and drivers, remove barriers to using public transportation and increase ridership.

Transit passes or pocket change will no longer be needed. Any transit riders who have a pass will want to use up the credits prior to Aug. 1.

The Iowa City Council unanimously approved the program earlier this month. Council members and city staff have expressed their excitement for the program.

A fare free model is anticipated to increase ridership by 20 to 60 percent, according to the city.

This recommendation stems from an Iowa City area transit study that was approved by council in 2021 and intended to make transit faster, more frequent and more reliable.

Making bus rides free for riders also goes along with the city’s climate action goals. Iowa City Transit has a goal of doubling ridership and enabling a shift of 55 percent of vehicle trips to more sustainable modes of transportation, such as transit, according to a news release.

The city was recently awarded $23 million from the federal government to expand its electric bus fleet and build a new transit facility.

Rides on the University of Iowa’s transit system, Cambus, are already free to the public. Coralville Transit is likely to continue charging $1 per ride.

Federal funds will be used to offset the loss of fare revenue in Iowa City, which is estimated at $1 million per year.

City staff will collect operational data and explore permanent funding sources during the pilot program’s first year. This information will be presented to the council in summer 2024 so a decision can be made on whether to continue beyond the second year.

For anyone who hasn’t tried transit or has been considering trying, now is a great time to start, according to the city.

Before the first ride, the city suggests downloading the Transit app for planning and reviewing the city’s digital map of routes and stops at icgov.org/busschedules.

Anyone wanting help planning their trip is encouraged to reach out to Iowa City Transit by calling 319-356-5151 or emailing ICTransit@iowa-city.org.

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