The Whatcom Transportation Authority proposed a fare increase to buses in the county, raising prices from $1 to $2. While this would be the first increase since 2008, there’s concern over what this change could mean for riders.
If approved, the proposal will take effect in July 2026, changing more than just fixed-route fares. It also increases curb-to-curb paratransit costs from $1 to $3, removes discounted bus passes for students and replaces the Gold Card, which has allowed those 75 and older to ride for free.
This proposal would affect commuters who rely on bus services the most, increasing prices for groups that are traditionally at an economic disadvantage. While a fare increase would make a small dent in the WTA’s budget deficit, commuters would feel the burden financially.
This change could have a large impact on students, according to Andrea Reiter, the associate director of active transportation at Western. Currently, the university pays $600k annually to the WTA, accounting for 36% of their fares. That money comes from the active transport fee in Western’s student tuition and pays for bus usage for students.
“If it impacts Western, you’re talking about students who are typically on very fixed, lower incomes,” said Reiter. “And that’s not the population you should be burdening.”
The WTA will likely be negotiating a more expensive contract with Western next school year, regardless of whether this proposal passes. Between 2017 and 2019, when Western’s enrollment was higher and the WTA had more student commuters, the contract reached upwards of $900k per year. Now that enrollment is down, though, Western wouldn’t be able to afford a large contract.
“The issue is that we have 2,000 less students, and that’s 2,000 less riders, as well as 2,000 less paying into the active transportation fee. At $33.08, the transit fee could not cover a million dollar contract.”
Anything that can’t be covered by the active transport fee would come out of the transit service’s reserve funds, which would likely only last until fall 2027. In this case, the active transport fee would increase and students would pay the difference. If Western’s Transportation Services can’t find funding, bus passes could be canceled and students would have to find other ways to make it to campus.
“The WTA is going backwards from what they should be doing,” said Reiter. “We should be looking at fare free, which is subsidized by cities to promote lower-emission travel.”
Maureen McCarthy, the director of community and government relations at the WTA, believes the fare increase is necessary, though. Expenses have risen and the largest revenue source – local sales tax – is declining.
The 2025 budget was expected to receive $40.5 million from sales tax. Now, though, they anticipate the revenue to be 1.7% lower than initially expected. Much of the WTA’s revenue is out of its control, but a fare increase would provide guaranteed earnings.
“Though the percentage of our revenue from fares is relatively small, fares are one source of revenue we can increase,” said McCarthy. “The fare increase would have a meaningful but not large impact on our overall revenue.”
WTA’s current fare revenue is $1.2 million annually. If the proposal were approved, they expect to bring in between $2.7 to $3.6 million each year.
Some commuters disapprove of the fare increase, and students worry about the potential increase to tuition. Many ride the bus out of economic necessity. If fares doubled overnight, commuters would be heavily impacted.
“I would prefer to pay more taxes than for other people to pay more for the bus,” said Aiden Moore, a student employee at Western’s Transportation Services. “I think it’s a negative for everyone, especially those who use the paratransit.”
Moore rides the bus daily and believes that a fare increase would harm those who are already at an economic disadvantage.
Given that fares make up a relatively small share of the WTA’s overall revenue, the potential negatives of a fare hike outweigh the income it would bring. The proposal places a larger burden on riders who rely on buses the most, like seniors, students and paratransit users.
Western is also facing a significantly more expensive contract if the proposal is approved, which would increase student tuition or remove their access to bus passes.
Before deciding to vote, the WTA is holding public hearings to receive comments about the proposed fare increase. The next meeting will be held in-person on Dec. 4 by the WTA’s Board of Directors. You can find more information here.
Liam Britt (he/him) is a second-year visual journalism major and opinion writer for The Front this quarter. Liam also writes for The Rage, a student-run magazine at WWU. In his time away from work, Liam enjoys going to music venues, skateboarding with friends and getting creative in the kitchen. You can reach him at liambritt.thefront@gmail.com.
