Free rides are likely going away County considers fares for bus riders

The county-administered public bus service could start charging passengers in the near future.

As it looks for ways to increase revenue to offset rising costs, Citylink will adopt a fare system that includes subsidies for low-income passengers, said Kim Riley of Kootenai County’s public transportation office, which administers Citylink.

“We’re going to be looking at implementing a fare system,” Riley said. “Reduced rates will be available depending on qualifications.”

When it started in November 2005, Citylink services ran three buses between Kootenai County and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s casino in Worley, as well as stops in Coeur d’Alene and surrounding communities.

The transit system has been free to its riders since the beginning, funded through local and federal grants, financial assistance from Kootenai Health and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, as well as local communities such as Coeur d’Alene.

But cost increases, especially for fuel and worker compensation, are taking a toll on the ride-for-free system, Riley said.

“Our population is growing, our demand for services is increasing and the cost of service is increasing,” Riley said. “We’re all dealing with that in local government.”

Between 2017 and 2018, the service absorbed a 13 percent increase in fuel costs and 12 percent increase in driver compensation, Riley said.

“We’re expecting a $28,200 increase in those two areas for fiscal year 2019,” Riley said. “Clearly we need to fund those increases.”

Citylink still serves Benewah County but its most popular boarding stops are the Post Falls Library, downtown Coeur d’Alene at Lakeside and Eighth Street, and the Post Falls and Hayden Walmart shopping centers. In the lake and river city area, Citylink serves Post Falls, Huetter, Coeur d’Alene, Dalton Gardens and Hayden.

A shuttle also serves the southern end of Kootenai County and Benewah County running between DeSmet, Tensed, Plummer and Worley to the tribe’s casino and a temporary transit center at Riverstone.

Money has been secured for a new 2,600-square-foot transit center at Riverstone that is expected to be completed next summer.

Financing for the first phase of the $2 million plan includes a total of $1.6 million from federal transit and Idaho transportation grants, as well as $400,000 in matching funds from the county and other local jurisdictions.