Seattle Bus Fares Are Now Based on Your Income

Mass transit officials have long offered discounts to certain commuters—seniors, veterans and government employees, to name a few. On Sunday, Seattle added people from low-income households to the list.

Under a new program, commuters with household incomes less than two times the federal poverty line pay only $1.50 for most trips on the region’s buses, light rail trains and street cars. The county estimates that the program could save workers who commute during peak hours more than $900 per year.

Seattle, like cities across the country, has seen a growing income gap between its highly-educated residents with high incomes and poorer residents. The commuter program is one of many efforts to assist those on the lower end of that spectrum. The city’s highly-publicized $15 minimum wage, another such effort, takes effect in April.