September 2, 2015

Some Sun Tran Riders Propose Skipping the Farebox

To encourage an end to Tucson's transit strike, Bus Riders Union says skip paying fares

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To protest the Sun Tran bus drivers and mechanics strike, some riders may deliberately stop paying fares this week.

The Sun Tran management and the Teamsters union representatives have not been communicating in active negotiations to end the strike. If the stall continues through the week, the strike will exceed the one month mark.

Brian Flagg is a member of the Bus Riders Union and said riders are frustrated with the limited service and lack of progress to end the strike.

It’s time riders take a more active role in forcing the situation to end, by refusing to pay fares when boarding a bus, Flagg said.

"We feel that bus riders should ride for free until the end of this strike," Flagg said. "If the city’s not getting any money, maybe they’ll jump in there and make things happen and use all the money that they’re saving by busses hardly running for this last month."

Sun Tran is losing money during the strike because its contract with the city of Tucson is that it bills for services rendered. The transit services is operating limited routes during the strike, so it is not billing the full rate, said Kandi Young, Sun Tran spokeswoman.

The impact of a refusal to pay fares is difficult to determine.

Riders are expected to pay when they board a bus, but drivers are not leaving people behind if they do not pay, Young said.

It is a risk for riders to not pay a fare, Flagg said, but he said he hopes it will point out that the strike has been bad for the Tucson economy.

Sun Tran adds routes to schedule Sun Tran is offering some of its routes during the strike. Today (Wed. Sept. 2) it begins two additional routes during weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The routes in service are:

  • Route 3 – 6th St./Wilmot
  • Route 4 – Speedway
  • Route 6 – Euclid/ N. 1st Ave.
  • Route 7 – 22nd Street
  • Route 8 – Broadway
  • Route 9 – E. Grant
  • Route 11 – Alvernon
  • Route 16 – Oracle/Ina
  • Route 18 – South 6th Avenue
  • Route 25 – South Park Avenue
  • Route 29 – Valencia

See Sun Tran's website for the latest routes and strike information.

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