Submitted by 9 Town Transit
(November 3, 2022) — Middletown Transit District merged with Estuary Transit District as of July 1, 2022. Coming out of this merger are a series of studies and improvements designed to make the system more efficient and better for riders. One of the studies currently underway, is examining ETD’s fare structure and technology. With input from consultants at Hatch Consulting, Estuary Transit District is looking for public feedback on a series of recommendations related to the bus fare. There will be two public comments meetings:
Tuesday, November 15, 2022 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at Middletown City Hall/ Council Room
Thursday, November 17, 2022 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Westbrook Town Hall/Multi-Media Room.
Estuary Transit District will also be joining many community events and hosting pop-up events to collect additional public feedback throughout Middlesex County and beyond. It is important to note that ETD is NOT PROPOSING AN INCREASE TO THE BASE FARE OF $1.75. ETD is proposing a series of changes to fare policy starting with the simplification of fare products between Estuary Transit District and Middletown Transit District. This proposed change would make sure that the new merged system has one unified set of fare products for the entire system.
Second, ETD is proposing a student and low-income fare discount of 50% to make sure bus services are affordable to those who need them the most. This would likely result in the elimination of the student monthly pass, as the 50% discount would be more significant. ETD is also proposing adding the base fare of $1.75 to both on-demand XtraMile shuttle programs in Old Saybrook and Middletown. An ETD ticket or pass will be acceptable as payment for XtraMile, making it a standard part of the bus system.
Please attend one of our meetings, take our public feedback survey, or make any other comments related to these proposed changes. Your feedback will help decide which proposed changes move forward. For more information, to take are survey, or to leave a public comment please visit estuarytransit.org.
Free Fares End 11/30/22: Free fares will come to a close on November 30, 2022. Please be prepared to pay your fare beginning December 1, 2022. Never used public transit before? Now’s a great time to give it a try! Need help with trip planning? CTRides.com can help develop a custom commute plan; use our online trip planner or give us a call at 860-510-0429 (Shoreline) or 860-346-0212 (Middletown).
Thanksgiving Day Schedule: All services will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2022. We wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.
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