DeKalb City Council plans to keep public bus fare suspended for remainder of year

DeKALB – The DeKalb City Council directed City staff Monday to keep bus fares suspended for remainder of the calendar year for the city’s public transit passengers.

DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas said the agenda line item was meant to prompt the question to council members about whether it would be “fair and prudent” to restore bus fares on the City’s fixed routes as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes. The initial suspension was made during 2020 in an attempt to curb financial challenges residents faced during the pandemic. The only route which required fare was the Elburn Metra Station shuttle.

Nicklas said city staff also recommended keeping the fare suspension through the end of the calendar year.

“By that point, we would be able to charge again,” Nicklas said. “We won’t be through all of the difficulties and challenges by COVID, but I think we’ll be in a better position to start charging a module charge at that point. I presume it will be about the same.”

All present aldermen expressed their informal support for keeping the fixed bus routes fare free during the Monday meeting. Fifth Ward Alderman Scott McAdams and Seventh Ward Alderman Tony Faivre were absent.

The City of DeKalb Public Transit System suspended fares on all fixed route and paratransit services on March 18, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the meeting agenda, Illinois cities that reinstated their public transit fares from July 2020 onward include Moline, Peoria, Danville, Springfield, Rockford, Bloomington and Kankakee. Champaign and Decatur’s systems remain fare free.

Marcus Cox, transit manager for the City of DeKalb, said the setup for DeKalb’s public transit system “is a little unique.”

“The other agencies, most of which you see listed as reinstating fares, rely somewhat heavily on that revenue that is incurred from those fares,” Cox said.

Nicklas said the city received $20,000 in fare revenue during the pandemic, compared to typical years which draw in $80,000. The revenue represents about 2% of total annual revenue for the City, Nicklas said.

DeKalb public transit fare is 50 cents for residents, and 25 cents for senior citizens, K-12 students and those who are disabled or require paratransit. Northern Illinois University students and pay through student service fees instead of per ride.

Nicklas said about 70% of bus riders are NIU students and the remaining 30% include residents in more urban parts of the city.

Cox said in February that Transdev, which also serves NIU, saw a more than 50% reduction in ridership across all of its services in 2020 compared to 2019, similar to most public transit systems nationwide.

“The removal of fares reduced the exchange of money and enhanced safety efforts for both passengers and transit service provider employees,” Cox wrote in a July 7 memo. City transit staff said they’d notify residents four weeks in advance should service fares be reinstated, and CARES Act funding can assist with necessary expenses in the meantime.

Nicklas said the City will revisit the fares in December.