HomeMy WebLinkAboutConstituent Letter - Mail Packet - 11/21/2023 - Email From Mayor Jeni Arndt To Senior Advisory Board Re: Transfort Fare Free InitiativeFrom:Jeni Arndt
To:Dave
Cc:City Leaders; Mylescrane; Alicia Durand; Sarah Olear; Bruce Henderson; O"Connell, Deanna;
mary@robertsrealtynoco.com; Suzanne King
Subject:Re: [EXTERNAL] Attached: Letter on behalf of the Senior Advisory Board
Date:Saturday, November 11, 2023 6:56:18 PM
David and all,
Thank you very much. Excellent points.
Kindly,
Jeni
Jeni Arndt
Mayor of Fort Collins
970-413-3146
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Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 10, 2023, at 3:34 PM, David Kovach <dave@focolegalservices.org>
wrote:
Good afternoon,
I am delivering the attached letter on behalf of the City of Fort Collins Senior
Advisory Board. The letter was drafted and offered by one of our members, Bruce
Henderson, with unanimous approval from our Board.
Thank you for your consideration. Have a great weekend!
Dave
--
David L. Kovach, JD, CPA
Chair, FTC Senior Advisory Board
Foco Legal Services
19 Old Town Sq. #238
Fort Collins, CO 80524
(970) 225-8259
www.focolegalservices.org
<2023 1110 SAB - L to City Council re Fare Free Transfort.pdf>
Senior Advisory Board
c/o Sarah Olear
1200 Raintree Drive
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6644
fcgov.com
November 10, 2023
City Council
City of Fort Collins
300 Laporte Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Dear City Council,
As you are aware, Transfort has been fare free since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued
its fare free program through this summer as part of a statewide fare free initiative. Transfort is currently
completing a study to explore going fare free permanently.
The Senior Advisory Board encourages the Fort Collins City Council to help ensure permanent funding for
this fare free program is available as a priority. This could provide an ongoing incentive for vulnerable
populations to continue using the Transfort bus system, such as:
• older adults
• people on fixed and/ or low income
• people with disabilities
• our youth.
For various reasons older adults often reach the point in their lives when they can no longer drive. As you
would imagine, this creates a transportation challenge which our local Transfort system can alleviate. The
ability to use Transfort busing “fare-free” makes this option much more appealing.
The results from Tranfort's study of a permanent fare free system show that the majority of survey
respondents are in support. Their biggest concern is any potential impact on safety and security, primarily
at Transit Centers.
As you evaluate a permanent fare free system, there are additional concerns you might consider funding.
They include optimizing the location of bus stops, adding routes to reduce trip times, and expanding service
by adding drivers and buses. While the costs of these alternatives are generally unknown to our Board, we
nevertheless encourage City Council to lead the way, with permanent funding for Transfort’s fare free
program.
Thank you for your consideration.
SAB