Council Committees to consider amended BJCTA agreement, add $300,000 to cover lost fares while new payment system is built

On Monday, June 12, the Birmingham City Council’s Transportation Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee will be considering an item to amend the current agreement between the City and the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority by adding $300,000 to cover the cost of suspending fares for the Birmingham Xpress while the consolidated payment system is being developed.

As it currently stands, riders who are utilizing both the fixed-route MAX Transit buses and the Birmingham Xpress (BX) Bus Rapid Transit system are having to pay separate fares for each. The consolidated payment system would fix this issue and make navigating the city more accessible.

Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, Chair of the Transportation Committee, said this one-time allocation would be bridge funding while the BJCTA temporarily suspends fares for the BX.

“Having a consolidated payment system for both of these bus systems is really going to help alleviate a problem for some of our riders,” Councilor O’Quinn said. “The first few months of the Birmingham Xpress being operational there were no fees and ridership was really high. That dropped off a bit once the BJCTA began charging fares. One of the side benefits of the BJCTA suspending fares is that I think we will see ridership increase again and maybe introduce more people to the Birmingham Xpress.”

The Transportation Committee will meet at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 12 in Conference Rooms D and E on the third floor of City Hall. The Budget and Finance Committee will also be considering this amended agreement in the same location at 3:30 p.m.

“Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority appreciates Mayor Woodfin and the City of Birmingham for moving transit in the right direction,” said BJCTA Executive Director Charlotte Shaw. “The proposed amendment will assist BJCTA with servicing customers as our systems continue to expand and grow.”

The agreement is expected to be considered by the full Council for approval during Tuesday’s meeting.