GRANITE CITY - In an effort to make transit more accessible, more affordable, and simpler to navigate, Madison County Transit (MCT) is proposing a series of changes to its fare structure and taking that proposal to the public for comments. The full proposal can be found online at: www.mct.org/ProposedFares. A live discussion with MCT staff on the proposed changes will take place virtually on Wednesday, January 20 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. by clicking the following link: https://bit.ly/34AAqtF, or by calling 618-437-6446, conference ID 959 787 190#.
The proposal includes a reduction in fares, implementation of new fare products, and the elimination of fare zones in Madison County. In the proposed fare structure, if a passenger’s trip begins and ends in Madison County, the base fare will be just $1.00, as opposed to the current structure, in which local trips cost $1.50 or $2.00 depending on whether a fare boundary has been crossed. Passengers that ride between Madison County, St. Clair County, and St. Louis would pay just $3.00 each way. If the proposal is approved by the MCT Board of Trustees later this month, passengers would no longer have to worry about Fare Zone Boundaries when riding MCT in Madison County, and would simply pay one dollar. The new fare structure could be implemented as soon as May 9, 2021.
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MCT is also proposing to transition the Express Round Trip Pass to a Day Pass which is valid on all MCT routes for a calendar day at a cost of $5.00. Other MCT pass prices will be reduced as follows: The MCT Local Monthly Pass and Local 30-Day Pass (Mobile) will be reduced from $50 to $40, the MCT Student Monthly Pass from $20 to $15, and the MCT 7-Day Pass (Mobile) from $20 to $15. ADA-eligible trips within Madison County on the Runabout Paratransit buses would also be reduced.
“With wages down and unemployment rates up, there has never been a more critical time to remove the barriers to transit use and help the people of Madison County access jobs, shopping, doctors, and other vital services,” said MCT Managing Director SJ Morrison. “By making bus service simpler and more affordable, we believe that MCT is playing a key role in helping rebuild our local economy.”
Individuals and organizations that would like to make a comment related to the proposed changes can do so by calling 618-797-4600, e-mailing info@mct.org, or by US Mail to: Madison County Transit, c/o Proposed Fare Reduction, One Transit Way, P.O. Box 7500, Granite City, IL 62040. Comments on the proposed changes will be summarized and presented to the MCT Board of Trustees for consideration. All comments must be received by Friday, January 22 at 5 p.m.
“If approved, these changes will be the first step in a series of improvements that we hope will not only meet the current transportation demand in Madison County, but will also help make the service more attractive to new riders in the future,” said Morrison.
To view the full proposal, visit www.mct.org/ProposedFares. For additional information about any of MCT’s services, visit www.mct.org, call 618-797-4636 (INFO) or e-mail info@mct.org.
Madison County Transit (MCT) provides multi-modal transportation services for Madison County, Illinois. MCT operates a fixed-route bus service, connecting to MetroLink; express weekday commuter service directly to and from downtown St. Louis; and seasonal express service to the Muny. For elderly and disabled residents who are unable to use the fixed-route buses, MCT provides complementary door to door service. MCT is also responsible for the construction and maintenance of more than 137 miles of bikeways that comprise the MCT Trails system, as well as overseeing RideFinders, the St. Louis region’s FREE carpooling and vanpooling program.
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