CTS Funding/Fares
Funding for the Corvallis Transit System (CTS) comes from a number of sources: State grants, Federal grants, Oregon State University (OSU), miscellaneous sources like advertising and donations, and since becoming fareless in February 2011, from the Transit Operations Fee (TOF).
The TOF was established by the City Council in 2010. It’s collected monthly from all Corvallis utility customers - residential, commercial, non-profits, and OSU Housing and by ordinance is indexed to the average price of a gallon of regular grade gasoline, with a floor of $2.75. Historically, bus service was partially funded with property taxes. The TOF eliminated competition with other essential services for property tax funding and provided a stable and dedicated source of local funding for matching State and federal funds.
Thanks to the TOF, CTS is fareless!
Any person wishing to ride CTS may do so without paying a fare. Other bus systems that connect to CTS may or may not currently charge fares. To see their most current status visit the following links: Philomath Connection, Linn-Benton Loop, Coast to Valley Express, and 99 Express.
The fareless transit system encourages bus ridership, which is a benefit to the entire community. In its first year of fareless operation, CTS ridership increased by 37.9%. Revenue for system expansion is part of the TOF and increases as fuel costs go up, which helps serve increasing rider demands. When able to, CTS also leverages TOF revenue to roll out enhancements such as extended service hours, enhanced frequencies, or new routes.
TRANSIT OPERATIONS FEE -- EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 2024
$4.23 per single family residential utility account
$2.92 per multi-family residential utility account
Variable* per commercial and industrial utility account
*By ordinance, the fee is based in part on the number of vehicles trips generated by a property use, so for commercial and industrial accounts the amount varies by site.
For more information on the TOF please reference:
