TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT GENERAL POLICY
The charging of user fees is an appropriate method of recovering costs or portions thereof from the users of public transportation services provided by the Town of Chapel Hill.  The following criteria are intended to guide the Manager and Transportation Board in recommending fee structures, and also to inform the public of those factors considered in that process.   The Transportation services operated by the Town of Chapel Hill are being provided through the cooperation of the Town of Chapel Hill, the Town of Carrboro, the University of North Carolina, the State of North Carolina and the United States Government.  Therefore, the establishment of user fees will be consistent with both State and Federal regulations, and locally they will be developed in consultation with the Town of Carrboro and the University of North Carolina.
User fees will be set to provide transportation services that are affordable by all with special provisions for the elderly, handicapped and others not readily served by fixed route service.  The fee structure established must strike a balance between assigning an equitable share of the cost of the service to the riders, and producing high ridership by providing an economic alternative to the private auto, therefore, reducing the congestion, pollution, and dedication of scarce land resources associated with auto use.
Fees should be established in accordance with the Town's Fiscal Year Cycle.   User fees may be waived, reduced or refunded on a case-by-case basis by the Director of Transportation pursuant to an adopted Refund and Waiver Policy.   The Manager and the Transportation Board will annually review the User Fees Policy and structure and recommend changes to the Town Council as part of the annual budget process.
GUIDELINES
Fixed Route Services: a) Bus service will be provided on a fare-free basis as long as the Partners agree it to be the most advantageous method of providing increased mobility and reduced congestion for the Town of Chapel Hill. b) Loitering or “joy riding” is prohibited.  Patrons are allowed one round trip for the initial regular or free fare.
Special Service Fares: a) EZ-Rider Patrons will be covered under the fare-free policy except as noted below. b) Shared Ride Feeder Service trips will be covered by the free-fare policy except as noted below. c) System-wide Evening and Sunday Shared Ride Service: I. Patrons are required to have tickets as necessary to pay fare.  Drivers will not be permitted to accept cash.  This ticket requirement is to distinguish this service as an extension of the fixed-route service and to avoid direct competition with local taxicab operators.   II. Tickets will be required as follows:      Bus stop to bus stop  - 1 ticket      Bus stop to door trips - 1 ticket      Door to door trips      - 2 tickets III. E-Z Rider patrons using the Evening and Sunday Shared Ride Service shall not be required to pay.
FARE SCHEDULE
Fixed Route Service				Fare Free
Special Service
1) Certified E-Z Rider Patron				Fare Free
2) Shared-Ride Evening/Sunday Service
a) Bus Stop to Bus Stop				1 Ticket*
b) Bus Stop to Door Stop				1 Ticket*
c) Door Stop to Door Stop				2 Tickets*
Special Event Shuttle Service
1) Park and Ride Lot Fares				$3.00 One Way, $5.00 Round Trip
2) Downtown and Campus Shuttle				$2.00 One Way, $4.00 Round Trip
*Tickets must be purchased in advance. Certified E-Z Rider patrons are fare free.
TICKET PRICE SCHEDULE
Booklets containing 20 tickets for Shared-Ride service will be sold for $14.25 each.
PARK AND RIDE
	Location					Monthly Rate**
	54 East/ Friday Center					$20.00
	15/501 Southern Village					$20.00
	86 North/ Eubanks Road					$10.00
**Park and ride lots offer free parking for patrons using Chapel Hill Transit or Triangle Transit Authority buses.  Permits are required for parking by all patrons leaving vehicles in the lot overnight or for anyone else who is not using Chapel Hill Transit or Triangle Transit Authority buses.
Non-Profit Organization Advertising:** Rates above, less a 50% discount. Public Service Announcements:*** Public Service Announcements will be placed for a maximum of 90 days for a $30 service fee, as space is available. Ad Replacement Fee: Any advertiser who has paid for an ongoing ad may replace the ad copy for a service fee of $30.  New ads should be delivered to Chapel Hill Transit.
Transit Guide Advertising: Limited advertising space may be available in the annual Transit Guide.  Rates will be established on a cost-plus basis and will vary depending on the size, location, and costs of printing.  In all cases, rates should include a profit of 10-50% over the cost of the ad.
**Non-Profit Organizations are those that are legally recognized as 501 c 3 Non-Profit Corporations and whose advertisements are placed to encourage the use of that organization's goods and services. Social service agencies are not considered to be Non-Profit Organizations if they charge for their services.  This includes religious groups and partisan political organizations. ***Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are those placed to promote services that will benefit the general public.  Notices for public meetings, voter registration and charity drives are typical Public Service Announcements.  Public agencies and charitable organizations are examples of groups eligible to place PSAs.
Advertising Fees: All buses will be equipped with interior racks for the display of advertisements.  Advertising fees should cover the net cost of placing the ads and should provide an additional profit of approximately 10-50% of the cost to be retained as Transportation System operating revenue.  Separate rates will be established for commercial advertising, non-profit organizations and public service advertising.  No exterior advertising will be permitted other than occasional banners promoting transit service.
BUS CARD ADVERTISING RATES
Full Showing - 83 Buses					Half Showing - 40 Buses
1-5 Months			$136.00 per Month		1-5 Months		$91.00 per Month
6-11 Months			$129.00 per Month		6-11 Months		$86.00 per Month
12 Months +			$123.00 per Month		12 Months +		$82.00 per Month
Bulkhead Cards 1-2 Months			$210.00 per Month		Bulkhead Cards		Not Available
ADVERTISING GUIDELINES
1. Discount for full rate advertisers with 2 or more ads per bus. No Agency discounts. 2. Advertisers will be invoiced monthly. 3. Chapel Hill Transit owns 83 buses.  Advertisers should supply an additional 50% cards for runs of 1 to 5 months and 100% for 6 months or more. 4. Cards will be placed in the buses on the first Saturday following delivery of the cards to the Transportation Office, located at 1089 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. 5. Card specifications:
	a)  Ads must be printed on at least 5 ply cardboard stock.
	b) Cards for bus overhead racks must be 11" top to bottom, 20" side to side, with no printing within 3/8" of any edge.
	c) Bus bulkhead cards must be 21 1/2" top to bottom, 21" side to side, with no printing within 3/8" of any edge.
6. Chapel Hill Transit reserves the right to review and approve any bus cards before placement.
	a) Advertising should be of a reputable nature, should conform to recognized business standards, and must not conflict with any federal, state or local laws or regulations.
	b) Liquor (including beer and wine), cigarette, and massage parlor advertising will not be accepted.
	c) Advertisements must be professionally designed and printed.
REFUND AND WAIVER POLICY
The Chapel Hill Transportation Department provides transit services to the public.  This policy applies to all tickets sold for Chapel Hill Transit Services. Refunds: 1. A prorated price of any prepaid transportation or park and ride lot fee may be refunded or credited toward the purchase of other services.
2. A new permit may be issued for permits that are excessively worn or partially destroyed if at least 50% of the old permit is returned.   3. Refunds will not be made for lost or stolen permits.  Replacement permits may be issued at the discretion of the Transportation Director.  Each incident will be reviewed individually and proof of ownership, identity and information regarding the loss may be required.  Each permit replaced will be subject to a $15 replacement fee. 4. Reimbursements for unused monthly parking permits will be made based on the number of full or half months remaining on the permit at the time it is turned into the department, less a $15 administrative fee.   5. The Transportation Department will mail all refund checks to the individual within 30 days of approval.
Waivers: 1. The Director of Transportation may consider requests for full or partial waiver of payment for any transportation fees.   2. Any waivers approved by the Director of Transportation will be reported to the Town Council in the annual operating report for the Transportation Department. E-Z Rider Fee Waivers: 1. This policy applies only to citizens of the Town of Chapel Hill who are certified for EZ-Rider Service.  Requests from Carrboro residents or from individuals affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or UNC Hospitals will be forwarded to those organizations for their consideration of any fee subsidy.
2. Many patrons are eligible for transportation assistance from various social service agencies which operate in Orange County, such as Orange County Department of Social Services, Orange County Department on Aging, Vocational rehabilitation of North Carolina, and the Interfaith Council.  To the extent that patrons are ineligible for transportation assistance from any other agency, it is the policy of the Town that service will not be denied because of inability to pay the established fees. 3. The Director of Transportation has authority to approve or deny requests for full or partial waiver of any transportation fees up to a maximum limit of $5,000.   4. All requests for waiver must be submitted on forms provided by the Transportation Department.
5. Patrons requesting waivers must verify whether they are eligible for, or have received any transportation assistance from any other social service agency.   6. Individuals requesting waivers will be encouraged to pay a portion of the total fee, and the amount of waiver approved may vary based on the level of service needed. 7. All requests for waivers must include a recommendation from an authority that can verify the financial status of the applicant.  Acceptable authorities would be representatives of state or county social service agencies, ministers or pastors of local churches or religious organizations. 8. Income levels as published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census will be used in considering waiver requests; Annual income level; at or below the poverty level = 100% waiver, between the poverty level and 130% of it = 50% waiver, greater than 130% of the poverty level = no waiver.  Adjustments will be made for family size.