Capital Metro has announced rigorous new cleaning protocols for all vehicles. Credit: image via Capital Metro
Beginning Wednesday, April 1, Capital Metro is implementing free fare for all customers throughout the entire month of April. The free fare service is part of Cap Metro’s ongoing efforts to minimize spread of the novel coronavirus.

In addition to previously announced strategies like rear entry on buses (to minimize contact with bus drivers) and ramped-up sanitizing of touch surfaces, the new no-fare eliminates the need to interact with operators and will speed entry onto vehicles.

Customers using MetroAccess, a demand-response, shared-ride service for people with disabilities, will still be required to show a valid ID before boarding.

Today’s Cap Metro press release stressed: “The fare-free period is not meant to encourage additional ridership. We ask our customers to use transit for essential trips only during the Stay Home-Work Safe shelter-in-place period.”

As the Chronicle reported yesterday, Cap Metro ridership has dropped dramatically in this new era of social distancing and last week’s shelter-in-place orders.

Read more about Cap Metro’s modification of services.

This article appears in March 27 • 2020.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...