Chair Lee on IBO Fair Fares expansion cost estimates and assumptions
Lee asks about IBO's Fair Fares expansion report. Sarah Parker explains five scenarios including expanded discounts and expanded eligibility to 200-400% of federal poverty line, using ridership trends and census data, noting that higher-income eligible individuals commute at higher rates than current participants.
Moving on to fair fares.
On June 4th, 2026, IBO released a report reviewing and estimating costs on multiple fare fares expansion scenarios.
And we would like to learn more about how IBO reached these estimates, the assumptions used, and the feasibility of some of these scenarios.
So if you could walk us through your analysis and the factors and assumptions that you had considered.
So before I turn it to my colleague, Sarah, I'd like to thank you for your attention to our Fair Fares report and also point out
That on the same day, we published a report on free buses to address all facets of potential transportation affordability.
That said, we are briefing the council, and we also have a webinar coming up on June 16th.
Oh, great.
Sarah?
I'm going to take that one.
So, yeah, so we did, as you mentioned, estimate five different scenarios, and two of those expanded the discount that's offered to eligible
participants, and then three scenarios expand the eligibility criteria to...
The federal poverty line, so 200%, 300%, and 400% of the federal poverty line.
And so in doing this analysis, we used a variety of data based on current ridership trends and usage trends,
as well as census data to estimate, particularly for the scenarios that would increase eligibility, what would be the expected increased use of transit, because those individuals
tend to commute at higher rates than those that are currently eligible for the program.
And so as Louisa mentioned, we have a lot of details in our report.
We have a briefing that we're offering.
People can sign up on our website.
But happy to answer any more specific questions you might have.