A ticket to ride takes on new meaning in Phoenix. Council members just expanded a program to allow patrons at certain events to use their tickets to ride light rail.
For years, concertgoers and basketball fans have been able to show their tickets from the arena and ride the train for free. In exchange, Talking Stick Resort Arena pays Valley Metro 31 cents per attendee. Now, Phoenix will offer a similar deal to events that attract at least 5,000 people.
“As a downtown council member, I’ve also really enjoyed it because it takes cars off streets and makes it easier for my residents and business owners to navigate when we have these great events,” Kate Gallego said.
Valley Metro said the amount each event host pays will depend on the number of attendees and how many will take the train, based on a ridership analysis using historical data.
Organizers of the Lost Lake Festival plan to promote the program. The three-day event slated for this fall will be held at Steele Indian School Park and is expected to draw tens of thousands of people.
Valley Metro’s Director of Communication and Marketing, Hillary Foose, said the Metro Board set a fare recovery goal of 25 percent for the region’s bus and light-rail systems — that means it wants fares to cover 25 percent of all operating costs.
Foose said the partnership with Talking Stick Resort Arena meets the 25 percent fare recovery target, but systemwide fare recovery “is just under the 25 percent target and staff at Valley Metro and member cities are discussing strategies to strengthen or adjust policies to see fare recovery increase.”
