Could Kingston one day offer free bus rides? Council orders transit study to find out

City asks staff to examine no-fee transit models as part of ongoing service review.

Kingston city council has voted to explore whether free or no-fee public transit could work in the city, directing staff to include the idea in the ongoing Kingston Transit Service Review.

The motion, brought forward by Coun. Ryan Boehme and seconded by Coun. Wendy Stephen responds to long-standing public interest in the possibility of free transit. Residents have raised the issue for years, but no formal analysis has been done locally.

Kingston is already conducting a comprehensive transit review with the help of an external consultant. Council agreed that studying free transit models used in other cities could provide useful information for future planning.

The review will look at how no-fee transit systems operate elsewhere, along with potential costs, benefits and impacts if applied in Kingston. The study is for information purposes only and does not commit the city to making transit free.

Staff are expected to report back as part of the broader transit review, which will help shape long-term transit decisions in Kingston.

Story by Alyssa Brush

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