Sound Transit fare ambassadors will check if light rail and Sounder train passengers have paid for their ride. COURTESY PHOTO, Sound Transist

Sound Transit fare ambassadors will check if light rail and Sounder train passengers have paid for their ride. COURTESY PHOTO, Sound Transist

Sound Transit to enforce passenger fares starting Nov. 15

Fare ambassadors to check passengers on Link light rail and Sounder trains

Starting Wednesday, Nov. 15, Sound Transit fare ambassadors will issue violations to passengers found to be riding repeatedly without proof of payment.

Fare ambassadors will continue to inform people about how to sign up for reduced fare programs and provide passenger service on Link light rail and Sounder trains, according to a Nov.1 Sound Transit news release.

Sound Transit relies on fare revenue to help operate its services, although most of the agency’s funds come from taxes. The Sound Transit Board approved the updated fare compliance policy last year. Under the updated policy, passengers without proof of payment will receive two warnings in a 12-month period. Warnings issued to passengers before Nov. 15 will be removed. All passengers will start with zero warnings.

On the third and fourth interactions without proof of payment, passengers will be issued violations that can be resolved with Sound Transit through non-monetary options such as an online class or engagement activity, or with a $50 fine for the third violation, and a $75 fine for the fourth.

Information on how to resolve violations is at https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/how-to-pay/resolve-your-fare-violation.

On light rail, one-way adult fares range from $2.25 to $3.50 depending on how far you travel. On Sounder trains, fares range between $3.25 and $5.75, depending on how far you travel. Youth aged 18 and younger ride for free.

Repeat non-payment, which is five or more instances of riding without proof of payment in a 12-month period, will result in a civil infraction, which may be referred to the district court.

Passengers found riding without proof of payment must provide some form of identification for tracking purposes. ID can include:

Valid state-issued identification card or driver’s license, valid military identification, valid passport or passport card, Tribal enrollment card, current school or employment identification card that displays the full name, library card, utility bill, paystub, bank statement, government check, or government document displaying full name and current address, hunting or fishing license, Medicare, Medicaid, or health insurance card.

Passengers who do not provide valid ID will be asked to exit the train at the next station. Refusal to do so will result in a referral to security.

“We are committed to seeking non-punitive solutions and will continue to refine our programs to prioritize assistance and education,” according to the news release.” Additional procedures are currently under development, including direct referrals to social service teams and photo-documentation for those without valid fare and ID. These procedures are not final and would be launched with more information at a future date.”

Sound Transit’s new approach to fare compliance was developed in partnership with communities disproportionately impacted by the effects of fare nonpayment. The agency will continue to track the performance of the program to ensure it meets equity goals and inspection targets.

In conjunction with the updated fare compliance policy, Sound Transit has implemented several programs to ensure everyone has access to fare. Sound Transit reduced ORCA LIFT fares for low-income passengers, continued its partnership with King County Metro to provide subsidized annual passes for qualified passengers, and made fares free for youth 18 and younger.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Northwest

Glen Park At West Campus Apartments, 952 SW Campus Dr., on Feb. 18 in Federal Way. JOSHUA SOLOZANO, Sound Publishing
Man dies in shooting at Federal Way apartment complex

Feb. 16 incident at Glen Park At West Campus apartments is the third homicide in city in February

t
Young adult woman killed at Federal Way apartment complex

Police investigating Feb. 13 case as a homicide

Auburn Police Department vehicle. Courtesy photo
Auburn man arrested for September 2024 drive-by shooting

The victim was an innocent bystander, documents state.

Gov. Bob Ferguson, surrounded by other state elected leaders, speaks at a Feb. 13 press conference in Olympia. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)
‘Follow the damn law’: Washington leaders have terse words for Trump

Gov. Bob Ferguson and others oppose many of the president’s orders

t
King County executive’s plan to renew parks levy 6 more years

King County Council still must approve proposal to voters on August ballot

t
Man, 19, dies in Auburn shooting

Officers found the man in the 1900 block of 22nd Way NE with a gunshot wound.

Students raise their hands to indicate that they participated in breakfast that morning during attendance. Each class tracks meals a different way, finding how best to seamlessly integrate it into their usual morning activities. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror.
Breakfast in the Classroom program shines in Federal Way | Photos

United Way of King County presents award to Federal Way Public Schools for fighting student hunger

Employees work at Fall City’s Aroma Coffee Co. on Jan. 14, 2025. (Grace Gorenflo/Valley Record)
Small businesses brace for higher minimum wage in King County

New wage for unincorporated areas went into effect Jan. 1, but the rules are still being determined.

t
End of a pepperoni era: The Fairwood Shakey’s closes

Shakey’s fans were given one more day to say goodbye to the beloved restaurant.

Courtesy Photo, US DOJ
Washington judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship order

A Seattle judge has granted Washington’s request to temporarily block Trump’s executive order

Courtesy Photo, Renton Police
Courtesy Photo, Renton Police
Renton Police arrest man for reportedly killing his mother

A 34-year-old man called 911 to report his mother’s death and was arrested when police arrived on the scene.