IN: Tribune-Star Editorial: Wise move on bus service fares

The people of Terre Haute are destined to experience one of what will be many benefits of the presence of a casino in their community when the city institutes fare-free bus rides in 2025.

Mayor Brandon Sakbun announced the plan last week, saying tax revenue from the Terre Haute Casino Resort will largely cover the funds previously collected from bus fares. His hope is that it makes bus transit more affordable for a larger segment of the community and increases overall ridership.

The mayor is right to be enthusiastic about the plan. It provides better access to an important service that reaches into portions of the community that sometimes come up on the short end of public commitments.

“This decision reflects our belief that access to affordable transportation is a cornerstone of a thriving, connected community,” the mayor said.

Sakbun underscored the value of the service for what it brings to those who need it most.

“For some folks, this is their car to work,” the mayor said. “Transportation is a huge, huge component of a strong quality of life.”

The plan for free fares on city buses is a wise move that demonstrates the city’s willingness to use casino tax funds to extend services and make them more valuable to residents and visitors. The transit department has an annual budget of just over $3 million, most of which comes from state and federal funds. Fares only accounted for a little less than 6% of total revenue.

Other communities of similar size in Indiana offer free bus service. Doing so in Terre Haute was probably long overdue. With enhanced funding sources from entities such as the casino, the timing of such a plan makes sense.

Sakbun said 2025 will be a trial period. He hopes the new approach will increase ridership and improve service quality. The city will track ridership metrics in order to gauge overall success of the program.

Indiana State University, which has a transit partnership with the city that gives students, faculty and staff access to buses, is providing its own boost for the system, raising its contribution to funding the service by 10%.

We applaud the decision to provide free bus service for the community. It’s more evidence that leaders are determined to make Terre Haute a city on the move.

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