York Region Transit replacing monthly passes, slashing express surcharge

Passes to be replaced by fare capping system, with free rides after 40 trips in a month

Newmarkettoday.ca
July 14, 2023
Joseph Quigley

York Region Transit is swapping out its monthly passes with a fare capping system starting in 2024, while also eliminating a surcharge on express routes.

The fare-capping system will enable users to get free rides after paying a certain number of times in a month. The transit system also plans to eliminate the 50 cent surcharge on express routes starting in September, affecting several rush-hour routes, primarily in the Markham and Vaughan areas.

“Regularly updating policies and looking for enhancements to improve the way people take transit provides an opportunity to continue growing our ridership as more and more individuals are choosing public transit,” Aurora Mayor and region chair of public works transportation services Tom Mrakas said in a news release.

The monthly trip cap will go into effect in 2024, with adult riders needing to pay for 40 trips in a calendar month using a PRESTO card before riding becomes free. That number is 39 for youth and 28 for seniors and children.

“These changes will simplify transit fares and remove barriers for customers by eliminating the upfront cost of monthly passes,” York Region chairman Wayne Emmerson said in a news release.

The surcharge elimination for express routes will apply to the Business express, Markham Express, Unionville Express, Bur Oak Express, Mount Joy Express and Box Grove Express routes. A region staff report said the surcharge was introduced to compensate for the building of the express route system. But future rapid transit and express routes, such as VIVA, have not had a 50 cent surcharge.

The changes come from feedback from a five-year fare policy review between York Region Transit and the Toronto Transit Commission.

“Feedback from the five-year fare policy public consultation concluded that extra fares for YRT’s express services are not justified or equitable for all travellers,” a region staff report said. “Easy-to-understand fares and using digital solutions to simplify fares are common themes in customer feedback.

Removing monthly passes and the express fare supplement significantly streamlines the YRT fare structure.”

Monthly passes for adults currently cost $154, $118 for students and $65 for seniors and children.

The changes do not include any changes to base fares, which are still $3.88 for adults using PRESTO and $4.25 for other forms of payment.