For low-income bus riders, it’s the dawn of a new day. And a new fare.
King County Metro and Public Health have teamed up to promote ORCA LIFT a reduced-fare transit card for low-income adults. Beginning immediately, those who qualify can obtain a special ORCA card to pay a bus fare of $1.50.
Chanh To, 57, was among the first to receive an ORCA LIFT card. “It’s going to help me a lot,” said To, who has been in and out of homelessness since emigrating from Vietnam 32 years ago. “If I want to go around the city, I have to get on the bus, you know, so [ORCA LIFT] is very nice for me. I need that.”
To qualify for ORCA LIFT, an adult must have an income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. For example, a single individual can have a maximum household income of $23,340 to qualify. The reduced-fare transit pass can then be used like a normal ORCA card on any Metro or Kitsap Transit bus, Sound Transit Link light rail, King County Water Taxi or Seattle Streetcar.
The reduced-fare option comes at a pivotal time before King County Metro implements another fare increase, the sixth such increase since 2008. On March 1, all fares will increase 25 cents, which will put the adult off-peak bus fare at $2.50. Those who qualify for an ORCA LIFT card will save at least $1 per trip and up to $910 per year.
County Executive Dow Constantine announced the official release on Jan. 14, after receiving input from the independent Low-Income Fare Implementation Task Force, which convened last summer. Metro is now the second major transit system in the country to implement a low-fare program, and transit agency officials predict it will be the most widely used.
“The ORCA LIFT card helps residents get to that higher paying job in Seattle or to that college class in Shoreline,” Constantine said. “We’re taking action to address the structural problems that create and perpetuate inequity in our region.”
To achieve that goal, the county has opened a new storefront at the King Street Station on South Jackson Street, staffed by certified public health workers whose aim is to further integrate public services. In a single stop, a low-income person can receive free assistance registering for a number of social services: an affordable health care plan, Utilities Assistance Program, Basic Food Program and an ORCA LIFT card. Someone can sign up for one or more of the programs.
The deadline to enroll in health care under the Affordable Care Act is Feb.15. County officials hope people in need of health care come to the storefront before the deadline, and obtain the new reduced-fare transit card while they’re there.
Daphne Pie, access and outreach manager for King County Public Health, helped foster the coordination between her department and Metro. She said that public health officials were excited for the ability to sign people up for multiple programs.
“We’ve always had various programs here but they’ve always been spread all over the map,” said Pie.
Qualified riders can obtain an ORCA LIFT card for free at one of 40 locations across the county. The low-income fare will not be available until March 1.
For more information, visit http://metro.kingcounty.gov/programs-projects/orca-lift/or call 206.553.3000.