Capital Metro approved fare changes to its all-electric Bikeshare system that will allow bikers to rent CapMetro-operated electric bikes, at its April 21 board meeting.
Changes include increasing the student annual rate from $12 to $75 dollars a year and adjusting CapMetro Bikeshare’s rates of the pay-as-you-ride, 1-day pass, 31-day pass, annual pass and student discount options. They will go into effect on Aug. 1.
“CapMetro currently offers some of the lowest bikeshare fares in the country. These adjustments are necessary to maintain the sustainability, reliability, and level of service that our customers currently enjoy,” Tawaun Cole, CapMetro director of public affairs Tawaun Cole,said in an email.
Brandi Mohler, director of revenue and fares for CapMetro, said at the board meeting that the student pass, a 50% off discount from the regular annual pass, will extend to students 18 and older who are enrolled in trade and technical schools, high schools, nursing and other vocational schools, as well as colleges and universities.
“Currently, the only individuals who can take advantage of this are UT students and faculty members. We want to open that up,” Mohler said. “Not only are we raising prices, but we also want to make it more accessible to individuals.”
The change in fares adjusts the time limit per ride. Currently, the 1-Day Pass, 31-Day pass and annual pass charge for 60 minutes of ride time. The new changes will decrease the allotted time to 30 minutes. Riders can still use the bikes for longer than 30 minutes, but will have to split their trip in two parts by re-docking it, according to Mohler.
“We are not looking to make money or gouge people for going over their ride time,” Mohler said. “We are simply looking to encourage re-docking.”
Cole said in an email the changes will help reduce operating costs of the program to ensure Bikeshare’s long-term sustainability and growth.
“Students, who are vital to the success of our program, were a key consideration in this process, and we’re committed to keeping the program accessible to them while ensuring its sustainability,” Cole said in an email.
Eddy Diaz, a member of the Orange Bike Project at UT Austin, said in a statement that the Bikeshare program is a great resource for students to get around, and that he hopes the price increase helps the program grow.
“The recent price hike might make it a bit less appealing for some, but hopefully that extra funding helps expand the system and make it an even better alternative to using a car,” Diaz said.
