REGINA - The City of Regina has made further progress in implementing a fare-free transit pilot project for high school students.
On Wednesday, the executive committee approved an option to potentially implement fare-free transit for high school students of Johnson Collegiate starting at the beginning of the new school year.
City administration chose Johnson Collegiate for its four distinct transit routes, which could handle an increase in ridership.
With an increased ridership, city administration estimates the route would need an additional bus along Route 9 - Parkridge.
From this, the cost of the pilot project would be over $86,000. This is broken down between forgone revenue ($48,600), operational costs ($37,000), and administration ($700).
Kurtis Doney, deputy city manager of city operations, said the money is unbudgeted, meaning the city would be over its budget at the end of 2025 if this pilot project is finalized.
City administration also noted Regina Public Schools couldn’t offer any financial support for the program on a management level.
In light of this, the executive committee will look into seeing whether or not the Regina Public School Board Trustees would be open to cost-sharing the pilot project.
This decision would come after city council makes final approval of the pilot project next week.
If approved, the pilot project would start on Sept. 2nd, 2025 and run until Dec. 31st, 2025.
