Faced with a booming population and heavy peak traffic during tourists seasons, Whistler decided to make transit much more affordable—ridership increased as a result.
The city of Whistler took a radical approach to transit in the hopes of getting more drivers out of their cars and onto buses: reduced transit fares and free rides.
"While transit riders in the Lower Mainland have seen fares rise recently, Whistler transit fares decreased from $65 to $50 a month this year. Throughout the summer, buses ran for free on weekends and holiday Mondays in the resort municipality," according to an article by Clare Henning. Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden credits the increased ridership on the weekend, as a result of the free rides, is equivalent to getting 400 cars off the road in the resort town.
FULL STORY: Whistler slashes bus fares, turns to public transit to beat congestion
SEPTA Awarded $153 Million to Stave Off Fare Hikes
Philadelphia’s struggling transit system will be able to delay a 30 percent fare raise, but the temporary fix won't do nearly enough to close its budget gap.
Rhode Island Ends Free Transit Program
The state’s public transit agency cited cost overruns and a looming ‘fiscal cliff.’
Free Transit Pass Program Extended in Columbus
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Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.
Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.
Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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