Ottawa Bus Rides No Longer Free

There will soon be no more free rides in Ottawa.

The Ottawa City Council has decided to start charging for the city’s mini-bus service which currently costs passengers nothing.  The one dollar, one-way fee goes into effect October 1^st.  Commissioner Wayne Eichelkraut balked at making Ottawans pay for something that’s traditionally been free been ended up supporting the increase like the rest of the council when it came time to vote.

Commissioner Dale Baxter says in order for the city to get grant money for the mini-bus and countywide busing, they need to charge at least a small fee for all rides.  Baxter says Ottawa’s mini-bus service is the only one not charging for rides in the state.

The council did bring up the idea of bus drivers having punch cards in case someone can’t come up with cash to ride.  Mayor Bob Eschbach says no one will be turned away.