Due to the rise of COVID-19 infections throughout the community, Pueblo Transit will again be going ‘Fare Free’, effective Thursday, October 22 at 6 a.m. in an effort to reduce public interactions but continue to get Puebloans where they need to go.
The change comes at the direction of Mayor Nick Gradisar after he instructed City of Pueblo Departments, that can, to reduce their in-person workforce to 25% and to increase public safety measures with the community on Tuesday.
“The City of Pueblo is taking immediate action to create a safe environment during this pandemic for our residents and staff,” said Mayor Nick Gradisar. “We want to show the community, Pueblo can remain open and doing business while increasing public safety to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The Fare Free move will allow Pueblo Transit to keep Puebloans who depend on transit to get to work, school, or shopping.
“Pueblo Transit is safe and open. We’re doing our part to show Pueblo, we can maintain a high-level of public safety and still be operational,” said Ben Valdez, Public Transit Director. “We want our riders, drivers and staff to be safe, so going to ‘Fare Free’, helps reduce personal interactions which allows us to keep Pueblo moving.”
The City of Pueblo and Pueblo Transit will revisit moving back to regular fares in early November and will make that determination based on COVID-19 levels infection risk levels.
Masks remain mandatory on all transit busses, and busses will remain limited to a 15-passenger capacity.
Busses will continue to be sanitized prior to the start of each day’s service, and high contact areas on each bus will continue to be cleaned frequently throughout the service day.
The change to free fares includes both Fixed Route and Para-Transit services. Passengers’ bus fares passes will remain valid or compensated after this move to free fares.
Passengers who have 22-ride passes should hold on to those passes, which will still be valid when we return to normal fares. Passengers who have 35-day passes should also hold on to those passes, which will be compensated with new passes, prorated to the amount of time remaining on their 35-day pass, as of 10/22.