Columbia bus riders might get one more year of free fares, as the City Council will hear a proposal on Monday to suspend the fees through September 2026.
GoCOMO has been operating fare-fee since 2020 because of an emergency declaration made in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with City Council continuing the policy every year since.
GoCOMO provides six bus routes, which mostly operate along a handful of major thoroughfares in the city. The agency provides about 524,000 passenger trips annually, according to a draft 2025 study by the Columbia Area Transportation Study Organization.
The last full year that the city collected fares was fiscal year 2019, when $247,322 was generated from fixed route revenue. The full fare cost at that time was $1.50 per person.
The city's paratransit bus services have also been free since 2020. Those fares generated $156,493. Fares were $3 per ride.
GoCOMO will be able to manage expenses for the coming year with proceeds from a transportation sales tax and a Federal Transit Administration operating grant, according to a staff report to the council.
The proposal to suspend bus fares for another year is scheduled to be introduced to the council for a first read. A vote on the proposal is expected to take place at a future meeting.
The council meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Daniel Boone Government Buidling, 701 E. Broadway.
The council also will gather for a pre-council meeting at 5:30 p.m. No voting is scheduled during the pre-council meeting, but Citizens Police Review Board applicant interviews are on the agenda.
The council on Monday night also is scheduled to:
- Swear in Second Ward council member Vera Elwood, who won a special election Aug. 5.
- Set the city's proposed property tax rate for fiscal year 2026, which begins Oct. 1. The new proposed rate would be $0.3907 per $100 valuation, down from $0.4075 per $100 in the current fiscal year. Although the tax rate has dropped slightly, residents could still experience higher property taxes because of rising home valuations.
- Hold a public hearing regarding the proposed fiscal year 2026 annual budget. The council is scheduled to vote on the budget Sept. 15.
- Amend the City Code related to water services and rates, and discuss electric rates.
