Lane Transit District cuts summer fares to $1 for adult rides

Lane Transit District is cutting the price of getting across Eugene and Springfield just as summer travel picks up, lowering adult single rides to $1 and unlimited day passes to $2 from July 1 through Aug. 31. For adults heading to work, summer camps, classes, medical appointments or evening events, the lower fares create an immediate, no-hassle way to keep trips on transit instead of paying more at the curb.

The district’s Dollar Days of Summer campaign covers not only fixed-route buses and EmX, but also RideSource, Rhody Express, Diamond Express, LTD Connector and Rural Shuttle service. LTD says the goal is simple: make transit more affordable and encourage more people to try it during the summer, when ridership usually falls below the rest of the year.

The savings are most obvious for riders who make multiple stops in a day. A day pass will cost $2 and allow unlimited rides, which means someone moving between a morning shift, an errand and an evening return trip can keep the day’s transit cost flat. LTD also says passes bought at the discounted rate can still be used after Aug. 31, though its Umo electronic fare system may limit how many passes can be stored at once.

The fare cut comes alongside service changes that took effect June 14, including adjustments on routes serving Barger, Santa Clara and Veneta. LTD said those changes were based on ridership demand and operating efficiency, a reminder that the summer campaign is part of a broader effort to match service and fares to actual travel patterns across the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area.

Jameson Auten, LTD’s chief executive officer, leads the district’s 400 employees and is steering the agency through a season meant to test whether lower fares can bring in riders who might otherwise drive. LTD’s rider materials also point to fare capping, which can make paying per ride as economical as buying a pass, and say all K-12 students in Lane County can receive free LTD Student Transit Passes through their schools. That means the biggest benefit from Dollar Days of Summer will likely fall to adults who pay their own fare and to households trying to stretch a transportation budget through the busiest months of the year.

Riders can pay on board with cash, through the Umo app, at UmoPass.com or at customer service centers. For many Lane County residents, the lower fare structure turns transit into one of the cheapest daily travel options available this summer, while giving LTD a chance to see whether price alone can widen access.