START will vote on a 2028 fare plan, including $1 rides

The START Board is set to vote Thursday on a new fare structure from its Transit Development Plan that would start in fiscal year 2028, including $1 adult fares on the Village Route and on-demand service, keeping the Town Shuttle free, and setting commuter routes at $5 for adults (with discounts for students, seniors, and riders with disabilities). The plan also includes free transfers and bigger savings for bulk and long-term passes, which is the kind of change that could matter for family budgets and for older teens who ride on their own. START Board Meeting Agenda Packet.

If you use START to get to work or to get kids to activities, this is the meeting to watch for two reasons: the Board is scheduling fares now for FY 2028, not next month, and the decision has already been divisive in prior discussion. In the packet, the May vote on the same fare structure passed 4-3, so expect questions about how START balances ridership goals with fare revenue, and who the new passes are meant to work best for (regular commuters, visitors, or both). START Board Regular Meeting Agenda Packet.