More information needed before free transit for youth plans can be implemented

Apr 14, 2025 | 6:44 PM

The City of Vernon is collecting more information about the impacts of providing free transit service for youth aged 13 to 18 before moving forward.

At the regular meeting Monday, April 14, Vernon City Council received a cost benefit analysis on the financial impacts of a free youth transit service in Vernon and Coldstream.

The cost benefit analysis stated providing free rides would result in $55,000 in lost fare revenue, which amounted to approximately 7.8 per cent of the service’s $700,000 annual transit earnings.

The report noted a free youth transit model would have benefits, such as building lifelong public transit users; encouraging low-carbon travel; reducing barriers for youth to travel; providing safe mobility options; reducing social isolation; and connecting youth to school, work, activities, and more.

However, council was not fully persuaded by the report, and inquired about ways to offset the revenue loss.

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“I’d prefer that this report address this type of information, how we would finance it, how these identified problems (such as people older than 18 using a youth pass to ride for a cheaper fare) might be overcome, [and] including a recommendation for us to consider whether to do it or not to do it,” Coun. Brian Guy said at Monday’s meeting.

City staff informed council that Vancouver saw an uptick in adults using public transit when youth aged 13 to 18 were allowed to ride for free. There was also an ongoing pilot program in Penticton where youth aged up to 25 were able to ride the buses for free.

The idea of Vernon running its own pilot project was then floated at Monday’s meeting, with Mayor Victor Cumming saying the project could be funded through the Unexpended and Unallocated Reserve for two years, and then ridership data from before and after the pilot could be analyzed to determine if it was worth continuing in the future.

It was noted city staff were busy with developing the new official community plan and master transportation plan, but staff could look into the pilot option once that other work was completed.

“I think if we do do a pilot program, it probably needs to be a minimum of three years, taking into consideration that there might be some variables that we can’t accommodate for,” Coun. Kari Gares said.

“Assuming it does what it’s intended use is, we might actually see youth usership go up, therefore the cost or the revenue loss that we’re going to see is also going to go up as well.”

Cumming agreed three years would be a good approach to take, adding the total paid use may also go up, and that data should also be tracked. He also said there were no variable costs in the transit system, as they run on a schedule whether or not people actually get on board.

Staff indicated that the process for developing a plan for a transit pilot project could be completed ahead of the next budget cycle, so Council received the report, and voted in favour of a motion to have a plan developed by the fall of 2025 so it could be included in the following year’s budget.

The motion also asked staff to come back with more information about the financial impacts of the fare-free youth transit service, and how to address concerns around people trying to ride for free when over the age of 18, among other possible concerns.

Speaking with Vernon Matters following Monday’s meeting, Cumming acknowledged the first request for fare-free youth transit services was brought forward in May of 2024, and under the current plan there would not be free transit for youth until 2026 at the earliest, but still said the city was in support of the idea.

“We’ve got a really supportive council, but it’s always a balancing act in terms of funding,” the mayor said.

“It all comes out of the same pot, so if we’re going to decide to fund this then we’re deciding not to fund something else. We’re well aware of that, this council is a council that’s quite aware of these tradeoff questions.

“Staff will go back and give us a little bit more clarity on these tradeoffs, and the actual physical logistics of doing this if we decide to go ahead.”

Vernon and B.C. already provide free public transit services for youth and children aged 12 and under.

by Liam Verster

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