London Transit Commission bringing back fare collection, front door boarding

Fare collection and front door boarding are resuming Wednesday on London Transit Commission (LTC) buses.

The LTC implemented a rear-boarding policy and stopped collecting fares on March 20 as part of efforts to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus.

At the end of July, the LTC said fare collection would resume no later than Sept. 1, depending on how quickly new driver barriers could be installed.

LTC general manager Kelly Paleczny said enough driver barriers have been installed to allow for front door boarding and fare collection to resume.

“We were accumulating an operating budget deficit at quite a rapid rate,” Paleczny said.

“Of course, fares make up a significant part of our budget. Unfortunately, even though people appreciated it, we have to go back to collecting fares.”

In late July, Paleczny told Global News that the LTC was looking at a shortfall through the end of July at about $8.7 million.

The LTC says monthly passes will not be available for August, but tickets, cash and stored value on a Smart Card will be accepted between Aug. 19 and 31. Transfers will be issued as required.

Starting Wednesday, Paleczny says riders must only enter through the front door and only exit out the rear door unless they have an accessibility need that requires the ramp or lift at the front door.

“We’re asking people to board, move to the back of the bus, spread out and make room so there’s no crowding at the front of the bus that people have to walk through.”

The general manager also touched on what bus routes that were designed to transport post-secondary school students in London might look like this year.

Paleczny says the commission held a meeting last month and approved of returning to 90 per cent of its service levels.

“Not quite 100 per cent, but that 90 per cent includes all special routes we’ve got running to Western University and Fanshawe College.”

These bus routes only run from September to April.

Paleczny says the LTC has kept in contact with the two schools to determine how many students will return to campus and what their travel patterns may be.

“We’re anticipating a slight shift in travel patterns, noting that the schools don’t believe that any students will have all of their classes on campus.”

Paleczny adds that in previous years, the general pattern often sees students taking the bus early in the morning and returning late in the day.

“But what we’ve been advised to anticipate now is students that will be coming and going more frequently throughout the day because they may have only one class in the middle of the day.”

All passengers are required to wear a mask or face covering while riding transit.

— With files from Global News’ Jacquelyn LeBel and Jess Brady

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