“It’s Fair. It’s Free. It’s Fare Free!”

One of Iowa City Transit's electric buses on display during an event with Mayor Bruce Teague at a podium and transit officials and a crowd of the public in front of the bus.

Starting August 1, 2023, transit service in Iowa City will be free for all riders. While some have noted that our bus rides only cost $1 (and have been at that rate for years), I’ve learned from residents that it’s not necessarily the cost that is a barrier to riding the bus.

Additional benefits of fare free transit:

  • No worrying about carrying exact change for the fare.

  • No waiting or haggling if someone wants to get on the bus who doesn’t have the fare.

  • Freedom to take more trips, or change plans during the day, with less concern.

For those riders who may have struggled with the cost of the bus, fare-free service frees up dollars that can be dedicated to other needs. 

In addition to the two-year pilot without fares (during which time we hope to make room in the City budget to keep the fare box out of our buses), Iowa City has made other dramatic improvements to our transit system in the last few years:

  • Routes are numbered and color-coded.

  • Routes and times are in the Transit app (and Google Maps).

  • We have four–and soon to be four more!–electric buses.

  • Many routes run every 20 minutes.

  • Several routes start earlier to accommodate local employers’ shift start times.

I’ve been a proponent of improving mobility throughout my first term on City Council. Not only supporting this pilot and expansion of our electric bus fleet, but pushing for regional transportation coordination and increased mobility options. We all deserve walkable, bikeable, connected neighborhoods. As a member of the MPOJC, I have advocated for using the CRANDIC rail line between Iowa City and North Liberty to carry passengers. We are now studying the feasibility of a bus rapid transit system on this corridor. I also serve on the Better Together 2030 Pillar 3 working group, focused on a well-connected, mobile region.

Riding the bus is sustainable, safe, and easy. It gives you worry-free time for reading, thinking, knitting, checking email, or finishing your daily crossword. Give riding the bus a try for free this week!

Nick Bergus