TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kelly Strickland, CLGBO, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Tyffany Neal, MPA, Transit Director
DATE: March 3, 2025
RE:
Title
Request for Fare-Free Transit (FAST) Service for the United Way Dolly Parton Imagination Library Story-Times
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
The City of Fayetteville will be a safe and secure community.
The City of Fayetteville will be a highly desirable place to live, work and recreate with thriving neighborhoods and a high quality of life for all citizens.
Executive Summary:
The Transit Department seeks to engage in partnerships that provide benefit to the Fayetteville area as well as enhance the impact public transit has within our community.
Background:
FAST has been working with the United Way of Cumberland County and other agencies in efforts to address literacy rates in our community.
To tackle literacy challenges from an early age, the Literacy Council is launching its 1st initiative "Imagination Library Story-Time" in partnership with Cumberland County and Fort Bragg Libraries. Beginning in March 2025, this weekly program will provide families with young children engaging opportunities to develop a love of books and reading.
To remove transportation as a barrier for young children to access this program, the United Way (by way of Transit) is recommending that service be fare-free from 8am until 12pm each Saturday in March 2025.
This will enable participants to travel to and from story-times, without barriers, no matter where their trip begins within FAST's service area.
Issues/Analysis:
None.
Budget Impact:
FAST would not collect (receive) any farebox revenue for all services on Fixed Route and Paratransit each Saturday in March 2025 from 8am to 12pm.
Options:
Authorize fare-free transit (FAST) service from 8am until 12pm each Saturday in March 2025.
- or -
Do not authorize fare-free transit (FAST) s...
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