Little Rock — Free Fares

April 2017

The arkansas online site reports that fares on the Little Rock streetcar would be free during the summer of 2017 to build ridership. Part of fhe system has been closed down because of bridge reconstruction.

The Pulaski County transit agency's board voted to make fares free in June, July, and August with a goal of building ridership year-round.

Regular bus service and the streetcars both are experiencing declining ridership through the first three months of the year, particularly the trolleys.

The decision to shut down the trolley at peak hours while the Broadway Bridge was closed to traffic for about five months was certainly a factor.

Streetcar ridership declined 28.8 percent in March compared with the same month in 2016, with ridership falling to 5,841 from 8,205.

For the first three months of 2017, the drop has been steeper, falling 36.3 percent, to 10,951 from the 17,187 in January, February and March of last year.

The new bridge opened to traffic March 1.

The streetcars also have had to shut down or limit service on several weekends, including the March 3-5 weekend during the Little Rock Marathon.