There are two new changes for regular Sun Tran riders coming up.
The changes, backed by the Tucson City Council on Tuesday night, will make modifications to three existing Sun Tran routes as well as eliminate the use of paper transfers.
The changes are needed to reduce costs ahead of next monthโs discussion of possible fare increase, city officials say.
The council voted unanimously to make changes to three routes โ 9, 20, and 27 โ starting in September.
Route 9 and 20 will be merged next month, while lowering the frequency of Route 27 to every 30 minutes.ย
The elimination of paper transfers also set to begin next month was the focus of most of the council discussion, with several members saying they were concerned about the cost of the SunGo Card, which under the new policy allows for unrestricted directional travel for a two-hour transfer period.
Without the card, riders have to pay the full fare for each trip.
The city charges $2 for a SunGo card, although officials say it is a one-time expense because the cards are reusable.
Councilwoman Karin Uhlich suggested the city give away the cards for the next year, suggesting it would ease the transition.
Sun Tran will add additional staffing at various sites for two weeks to help with the transition.
Councilman Richard Fimbres voted against the policy change, saying he had concerns about its effect on riders.
The two changes are expected to save the city $714,900 in the current fiscal year.
