City waives bus fare in attempt to boost ridership

Bus riders in Jefferson City didn’t have to dig through their pockets for change Monday as the city waved fares for the day.

Jefftran director Mark Mehmert said the special event was meant to both thank the service’s current patrons and to expose potential new riders to its benefits.

“One of the best things people can do to give themselves a raise is become a one-car family,” Mehmert said. “That can, in some cases, save a family almost $10,000 a year.”

The city’s Public Transportation Department is also looking to invest in new technology.

Mehmert told ABC 17 News he and other staff member are researching bus tracking systems similar to DoubleMap, a service currently used by CoMo Connect in Columbia.

The estimated cost of such an upgrade is $300,000 Mehmert said, an amount that would need approval from the City Council.

The Section 5339 Federal Transit Administration grant program may cover up to 80 percent of the cost of such an upgrade.