Public Hearing - October 28, 2026
On Wednesday, October 28, Metro Transit and the City of Madison Transportation Commission held a public hearing to review and discuss proposed increases to the paratransit agency fare and contract rates for the Commute Card and the Unlimited Ride Pass programs.
Agenda & Minutes
2026 Fare Equity Analysis
Agency Fares
An agency fare is charged to social service agencies that serve people who qualify for human service or transportation-related programs due to disability, income, or age. Agencies may have responsibilities to cover costs of their clients' transportation through other government funding sources. The agency fare is paid by the social service agency on behalf of the eligible paratransit customer.
The agency fare has not changed since 2023. Metro currently charges $34.25 for a one-way agency-funded trip.
Agency fares are intended to cover the full cost of a paratransit ride. However, the cost to provide these rides is currently higher than what Metro Transit receives in agency fares. Metro Transit is proposing two scenarios to increase the paratransit agency fare rate.
Proposal: Increase the agency fare so that it covers the full cost that Metro pays its contracted service providers for each one-way trip. This could be done either through a single increase or smaller cost adjustments over multiple years.
Scenario 1: Single Increase
Increase the agency fare on January 1, 2027 to $63.21, which is an estimated cost for a one-way paratransit trip. Starting January 1, 2028, the agency fare would automatically increase annually. The new one-way agency fare would be determined by the previous year's audited cost per one-way trip adjusted to reflect current year variables in service expenses.
Scenario 2: Fare Increases Spread Over Multiple Years
Increase the agency fare in 2027 and 2028 according to the schedule below. Starting January 1, 2029, the agency fare would automatically increase annually. The new one-way agency fare would be determined by the previous year's audited cost per one-way trip adjusted to reflect current
year variables in service expenses.
| Year | Proposed Agency Fare |
|---|
| January 1, 2027 | $48.00 per one-way trip |
| January 1, 2028 | $55.00 per one-way trip |
| January 1, 2029 onward | The Agency fare automatically increases annually. The new one-way agency fare would be determined by the previous year's audited cost per one-way trip adjusted to reflect current year variables in service expenses. |
Commute Card Pass
The Commute Card is a program where participating small businesses contract with Metro to buy rides in bulk at a discounted rate of $1.40 per ride. This fare has not changed since 2016.
Proposal: Increase the Commute Card rate to $1.50 per ride starting January 1, 2027. Starting January 1, 2028, the Commute Card rate would then automatically increase up to 3% annually based on the previous year's audited cost per ride. Any needed rate increase higher than 3% would be brought back to the Transportation Commission for approval.
Unlimited Ride Pass
The Unlimited Ride Pass is a program where participating larger businesses and college campuses contract with Metro to buy unlimited rides in bulk at a discounted rate of $1.35/$1.40 ride.
Proposal: Increase the Unlimited Ride Pass rate to $1.50 per ride starting January 1, 2027. Starting January 1, 2028, the Unlimited Ride Pass rate would then automatically increase up to 3% annually based on the previous year's audited cost per ride. Any needed rate increase higher than 3% would be brought back to the Transportation Commission for approval.
