NV: Las Vegas transit advocates warn proposed fare hikes will hit working class the hardest

When Lorenzita Santos gets ready for work, she always plans in an extra 30 minutes — not for breakfast or picking out clothes, but as a buffer for local bus routes she says are unpredictable.

The struggle worsens in summer, when extreme heat bears down on riders at stops across the valley that remain unshaded or poorly protected.

Santos relies on the bus for work and social outings, often buying a 15-day pass for unlimited rides at a lower cost. But the expense adds up and the service hasn't improved.

Now the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada has proposed raising fares and eliminating some bus passes — moves that would place an extra burden on riders like Santos, who called the proposal "unfair."

Under the proposal, regular bus fares would rise from $2 to $3, with reduced fares going from $1 to $1.50. Pass prices would also climb: the 24-hour pass from $5 to $7; the seven-day pass from $20 to $25; and the 31-day pass from $65 to $80.

Reduced-fare versions, available to select groups such as senior citizens, K-12 students and others, would see similar increases — the 24-hour pass from $2.50 to $3.50, the seven-day from $10 to $12.50, and the 30-day from $32.50 to $40. The two-hour and 15-day passes would be eliminated.

Paratransit riders would also see higher costs, with single rides increasing from $3 to $4 and the 46-ride pass rising from $80 to $90. The four-ride and 10-ride coupons and the 22-ride pass would be cut.

Fare changes would take effect in January 2027, if adopted.

"For the fare change, I guess I was just in shock, to be honest," Santos said. "I feel like the RTC is putting additional burden and making it even harder for people who are already struggling to use the bus system. The people who are using public transportation, and myself, this money, it'll add up. It's already a lot of money in a month, but, like, this is something I have to budget for now more."

The RTC has not increased transit or paratransit fares in more than 15 years and says it faces an $118 million budget shortfall in the coming years.

The agency receives funding from two local sources: a three-eighths of a percent sales tax and the Clark County fuel revenue index, or gas tax. But under the Nevada Constitution, gas tax revenue cannot fund public transit — only road improvements. M.J. Maynard-Carey, the RTC's CEO, said just 11% of the agency's revenue comes from sales tax, leaving it heavily dependent on federal, state and local grants to maintain services.

Since 2015, the agency has spent more than $33 million on systemwide security and safety upgrades alone, on top of grant-funded improvements such as expanding the bus fleet during extreme heat.

The RTC received $303 million in federal stimulus money in 2021, allowing transit officials to search for ways to address the oncoming "financial cliff," Maynard-Carey said.

Labor, insurance, fuel and other contracted service fees "have increased significantly," Maynard-Carey added, placing more burden on the already struggling transit system.

The agency is on a tight deadline.

If it does not find a source for more funding, officials predict service will have to be scaled down by about 42% over two years starting in 2028, Maynard-Carey said. Of the 39 existing fixed routes, 15 would be fully eliminated and 22 would partially retract, putting fewer buses and drivers on the road.

Any changes would affect thousands of service-industry workers and others who use the service daily.

"We operate the 13th-busiest bus system in the U.S., and we are the most efficient, meaning that we have the lowest operating cost per passenger; we have the lowest subsidy per passenger; and every single week, there are about a million trips that are provided onboard our fixed-route transit system," Maynard-Carey said. "We certainly connect the community at every level, but raising fares is never easy, and it's something that we're very cognizant of, and again, because it's been so long — 15 years — it's been very intentional."

Maynard-Carey said the agency looked at different ways to soften the blow from the budget deficit, such as deferring capital projects and reducing department budgets.

She expects those initiatives to continue as the budget shortfall becomes reality, but something needs to be done ahead of the 2027 legislative session to show lawmakers that the agency has exhausted its options beyond fare increases or service cuts.

A working group was assembled last year to come up with suggestions for the fares. Las Vegas already has one of the lowest bus fares compared with similarly sized cities, the group found.

Maynard-Carey stressed that the extra income from fare hikes wouldn't leave room for additions or improvements to the transit system. Instead, they would simply be used to keep service running at its current level.

Yet for many riders, the service is already too unreliable.

At the RTC Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday, dozens of transit riders expressed concerns with the level of service, criticizing everything from harassment on buses to a lack of on-time arrivals.

They all agreed: Increasing fares won't get rid of these issues and won't entice more people to use public transportation.

Santos told the Sun she's also concerned for the bus drivers, who already bear the responsibility of denying people rides when they cannot pay the fare. She fears riders who are unaware of the increases — or simply do not want to pay them — could get agitated, increasing the risk of violence against bus drivers or other riders.

In fiscal year 2025, the RTC recorded 28 passenger-on-operator assaults, up from 26 in 2024, and 190 passenger-on-passenger assaults — a nearly 100% increase from the 99 reported in 2024.

Riders and drivers should not be the first people to shoulder the burden of the RTC budget deficit, said Willie Chalmers III, who created the advocacy organization Las Vegans for Better Transit in April after hearing that the RTC would be forced to significantly downscale operations if the budget gap isn't rectified.

He stressed the economy is putting enough pressure on working-class people, and transit riders could be forced to choose between paying bus fare or saving for groceries and other bills if fares increase.

The move could also weaken the trust between the people and their government, he warned.

"We need to emphasize exactly who this harms: the very people who power the economic engine of this region ... people who have no other way of reaching a dialysis share with a doctor's office, the workers taking two buses and walking the last mile to a job that pays hourly; late-night workers; bus drivers whose livelihood depends on the RTC, and none of them caused a deficit two decades in the making, and none of them should be the first ones being asked to close it," Chalmers said. "I recognize the position that this board is in, but these fare increases don't appear to be addressing the root problems here. Transit riders in Las Vegas deserve more."

Transit users have until June 23 to fill out an online survey sharing their thoughts on the proposed changes.

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