Seattle Sounder Senior Fare Reduction
Seattle Sounder Senior Fare Reduction
R2020-28
Proposal to Lower and Simplify Sounder Fares for Reduced Fare Customers
Proposed action
(1) Adopts new, lower fares for Low Income Adults, Youth, Seniors and People with Disabilities for
Sounder commuter rail effective March 1, 2021, and (2) supersedes the fare rates established in
Resolution No. R2018-05 with the rates established by this action as shown in Attachment A.
• Board approval of this action will allow riders in these customer categories to travel on any type of
Sound Transit service throughout the service area for $1.50 (Low Income Adults and Youth) or
$1.00 (Seniors and People with Disabilities).
• This will also align the fares for riders in these customer categories with fares for King County Metro
bus and the Seattle Streetcar.
Background
Simplifying fare payment and lowering fares on Sounder for these reduced fare riders is consistent with
three Fare Policy principles established by Resolution No. R2014-27, the Board’s Fare Policy, which are
summarized below:
• Simplify fares
• Coordinate with other regional transit agencies to facilitate regional travel, and;
• Provide fare discounts for special rider groups
This action is also consistent with the recommendations of the 2016 Regional Fare Forum to simplify
fare payment for customers.
Finally, by simplifying fare payment and making transit more affordable for these customers, this action
is expected to increase their ridership by about 20,000 per year once conditions return to normal from
COVID-related reductions. This supports Sound Transit’s Mission of “Connecting more people to more
places to make life better and create equitable opportunities for all.”
Fiscal information
The proposed action may reduce Sounder fare revenue by an estimated $300,000 annually compared to
current fares at 2019 ridership level. In 2021, the revenue impact will likely be much less due to
continued lower ridership. At 2019 levels, this reduction would have represented a 1.7% decrease in
Sounder fare revenue, or a 0.3% reduction in overall Sound Transit fare revenue, reducing Sounder
farebox recovery from 31.2 percent to 30.7 percent. This potential impact, if realized, would remain well
above the Board established minimum Sounder farebox recovery policy of 23 percent.
Title VI Compliance
In compliance with Federal Transit Administration regulations, Sound Transit has conducted a Title VI
analysis of the impacts of this fare change on low income and minority populations. Based on this
analysis, Sound Transit has determined that this action will not create a disproportionate impact on low-
income riders, nor will it create a disparate impact on minority riders.
Public engagement
Sound Transit conducted public engagement for this proposed fare change that primarily consisted of an
on-line, translated survey that was available from November 19 through December 6, 2020. The public
were also notified of alternative ways to provide feedback that included:
• Emailing fares@[Link];
• Calling Sound Transit’s Customer Service line or Language Link lines; or
• Providing comment at public hearing held on December 3rd.
Promotion of the opportunities for public comment, and public notification of the proposed changes
included:
• Audio announcements by Station Agents at Sounder stations
• Dedicated web page at [Link]/farechange with information and fact sheets provided in
seven priority languages (Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, simplified Chinese, Russian and
Tagalog), and notices about the change on the [Link] home page.
• Passenger notices (Text/SMS and email) were sent on November 19, 2020 and November 30, 2020
to over 12,512 recipients who have opted to receive updates concerning Sounder service.
• Email notifications to 77 community based organizations and Agency partners detailing the
proposed change, and public comment opportunities, incluing a virtual public hearing on December
3, 2020.
Time constraints
A one-month delay would prevent Sound Transit from implementing this fare reduction on March 1,
2021.
WHEREAS, the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, commonly known as Sound
Transit, was formed under chapters 81.104 and 81.112 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) for
the Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties region by action of their respective county councils pursuant
to RCW 81.112.030; and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit is authorized to plan, construct, and permanently operate a high-
capacity system of transportation infrastructure and services to meet regional public transportation
needs in the Central Puget Sound region; and
WHEREAS, in general elections held within the Sound Transit district on November 5, 1996,
November 4, 2008, and November 8, 2016, voters approved local funding to implement a regional
high-capacity transportation system for the Central Puget Sound region; and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit changes fares for access to transit services in order to cover a portion
of Sound Transit’s operating expenses as part of the long-term financial plan; and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit is committed to meeting fare revenue requirements to wisely manage
public funds in accordance with state law while fulfilling its mission; and
WHEREAS, the Sound Transit Board establishes fare structures and sets corresponding fare rates
for light rail, commuter rail and express bus services; and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit works to coordinate fare structures and fare rates with those of
regional transit providers within Sound Transit’s service area; and
WHEREAS, Regional Fare Forums comprised of elected officials convened in 1997, 2007 and
2016 and recommended policies for regional transit fare integration in the Central Puget Sound region,
which guided the development of interlocal agreements establishing a regional fare integration
framework to provide seamless fare payment for regional transit customers, and
WHEREAS, the 2016 Regional Fare Forum recommendations emphasized the importance of fare
simplification, and
WHEREAS, in November 2015 through Resolution No. R2015-29, the Sound Transit Board
established a fare structure and corresponding fare rates for Sounder commuter rail and ST Express
bus services; and
WHEREAS, in April 2018 through Resolution No. R2018-15 the Sound Transit Board established
a flat fare structure for ST Express bus service for the purpose of simplifying fares; and
WHEREAS, Board Resolution No. R2018-15 aligned Sound Transit’s fares for reduced fare riders
(seniors, people with disabilities, youth and low income adult riders) on ST Express and Link light rail;
and
WHEREAS, reducing fares for these reduced fare riders on Sounder and aligning these fares with
those on ST Express and Link would simplify Sound Transit’s fares and make Sounder more accessible
for these riders; and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit staff have conducted a Title VI fare equity analysis and public
involvement process pursuant to Sound Transit Board Resolution No. R2014-27, the results of which
have been provided to the Board.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of the Central Puget Sound Regional
Transit Authority that:
Section 1: The following rates are established for Sounder commuter rail service effective March
1, 2021:
• Seniors and Persons with Disability (Regional Reduced Fare Permit holders) - $1.00
• Youth - $1.50
• Low Income Adult (ORCA LIFT) - $1.50
Section 2: The fare rates established in Resolution No. R2018-05 are hereby superseded with the
rates established by this action as shown in Attachment A.
ADOPTED by the Board of the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority at a regular meeting
thereof held on ___________________.
Kent Keel
Board Chair
Attest:
Kathryn Flores
Board Administrator
Fare
Adult $3.25
Low Income Adult $1.50
Youth $1.50
Seniors/Persons with Disability $1.00
South
Seniors / Persons Lakewood Tacoma Tacoma Puyallup Sumner Auburn Kent Tukwila Seattle
with Disability
Lakewood $1.50 $1.75 $2.00 $2.00 $2.25 $2.50 $2.50 $2.75
South Tacoma $1.50 $1.50 $1.75 $2.00 $2.00 $2.50 $2.50 $2.75
Tacoma $1.75 $1.50 $1.75 $1.75 $2.00 $2.00 $2.25 $2.50
Puyallup $2.00 $1.75 $1.75 $1.50 $1.75 $2.00 $2.00 $2.25
Sumner $2.00 $2.00 $1.75 $1.50 $1.75 $1.75 $2.00 $2.25
Auburn $2.25 $2.00 $2.00 $1.75 $1.75 $1.50 $1.75 $2.00
Kent $2.25 $2.25 $2.00 $2.00 $1.75 $1.50 $1.50 $2.00
Tukwila $2.50 $2.50 $2.25 $2.00 $2.00 $1.75 $1.50 $1.75
Seattle $2.75 $2.75 $2.50 $2.50 $2.25 $2.00 $2.00 $1.75
Adult fares calculated as $3.05 base fare plus $0.055 per mile, rounded to quarters for consistency.
South
Seniors / Persons Lakewood Tacoma Tacoma Puyallup Sumner Auburn Kent Tukwila Seattle
with Disability
Lakewood $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
South Tacoma $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Tacoma $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Puyallup $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Sumner $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Auburn $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Kent $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Tukwila $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Seattle $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Upon the start of service for the Tacoma Link Extension project, fares will be:
Fare
Adult $1.50
Low Income Adult --
Youth $0.75
Seniors/Persons with Disability $0.75
Adult fares calculated as $2.25 base fare plus $0.05 per mile, rounded to quarters for consistency.
Low Income Adult: All one way Low Income Adult fares are $1.50
Youth: All one way Youth fares are $1.50
Seniors/Persons with Disability: All one way Link fares for Seniors/Persons with a Disability are $1.00