City may renew STA perk

City workers likely will be able to keep riding Spokane Transit Authority buses at no cost to them.

As part of a state program designed to decrease the number single-occupant vehicles clogging roads each weekday, the city last year paid the transit agency $30,000 in exchange for waiving its bus boarding fees for city employees. That resulted in STA providing almost 79,000 rides to city employees in 2009, said Rick Romero, Spokane’s internal auditor.

Next week the Spokane City Council will consider a $51,000 contract to extend the program in 2010. The higher price was calculated by taking the number of rides given to city workers in 2009 and charging 65 cents a ride, Romero said.

At the start of this year, the STA fare for regular bus service increased to $1.25 from $1.