NORFOLK, Va. — While efforts are underway to bring more riders to Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), a debate is brewing over the cost of public transportation in the region.
Some claim that free rides on light rail and buses would help boost ridership numbers for HRT. However, others argue that free fare could make things even worse.
On March 8, HRT Communications Specialist Angela Gregory posted an article on the organization’s website, titled, "Solving the Ridership Gap: Would Free Fare Be the Solution?"
In it, she outlines why offering people free rides on services like light rail and bus routes may be a bad idea.
According to HRT data, ridership numbers on light rail haven’t rebounded from pre-pandemic levels.
The Tide, once seeing well over 4,000 weekly riders in 2019, now sees about half of that number.
One day after Gregory’s blog post was published, Phil Shucet, the former CEO of HRT, penned his opinion on the idea of free rides.
In the Virginian Pilot opinion piece, Shucet argued in favor of them, pointing to the success Richmond saw after offering free bus rides in the city.
Shucet wrote, in part, "nearly 30% of Richmond’s riders started using that system after it was free, and 54% are riding more often as a result of free fares."
However, Gregory, through interviews with HRT officials, mentions several reasons free fares could cause problems.
“When agencies move to a fare-free system they are encountering what’s known as ‘loop riders,” Gregory said in the article. “[riders who] have no designated destination and ride all day on a loop. This creates, among other problems, overcrowding on buses.”
Gregory also referenced HRT surveys that show people don’t necessarily want free rides but rather more frequent and reliable service.
She interviewed HRT’s current CEO, William Harrell, who believes free fares would delay transit improvement projects if the idea was added to the 2025 budget.
Currently, there are no proposals on the table to offer free rides for HRT services.