CUE Zero-Fare Policy
Summary
The CUE Zero-Fare Policy is a fare-free transit initiative for the City's CUE bus system, originally adopted as a four-year pilot beginning in FY2022 and set to expire at the end of FY2026. On November 4, 2025, the City Council held a work session at which a CUE Zero Fare Evaluation presentation was delivered and discussed, though no formal vote was taken. As the pilot's expiration approached, the City sought to continue the zero-fare policy by pursuing a second grant from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation's Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP) for funding effective FY2027. On February 17, 2026, the City Council unanimously approved (6-0) a resolution endorsing the City's application to DRPT's TRIP program for that second grant.
Open questions & options on the table
- Whether DRPT awards the second TRIP grant to the City for FY2027.
- What the formal policy outcome will be if the grant is not awarded — i.e., whether the zero-fare policy continues, is modified, or lapses after FY2026.
Full history
[1b] A presentation on the CUE Zero Fare Evaluation was delivered to the City Council at this work session for discussion.
[3] The CUE bus system's four-year zero-fare pilot (adopted FY22, expiring end of FY26) prompted the application for a second DRPT TRIP grant to continue support starting FY27.
passedApprove a resolution endorsing the City's application to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation's Transit Ridership Incentive Program.✓ Amos✓ Bates✓ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✓ McQuillen✓ Peterson
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.