Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) is bringing back its free fare days this month, just in time for the Northwest Washington Fair.
From Aug. 11–20, WTA is providing free rides on all bus trips within Whatcom County, with the exclusion of route 80X to Mount Vernon.
During these dates, WTA is offering an additional bus route at 10 p.m. that will run from the fairgrounds in Lynden back to Bellingham. This route will be offered on weeknights and Saturday nights.
According to the WTA website, in addition to the 10 p.m. bus, Route 26 will provide regular service to the fairgrounds between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and 8:05 a.m. to 6:05 p.m. on Sundays.
Although free fare days happen concurrently with the Northwest Washington Fair, the promotion extends to all riders, not just those headed to Lynden to partake in the festivities.
Maureen McCarthy, WTA’s director of Community and Government Relations, said the free fare days promotion creates an opportunity to support the fair and entice new riders.
“It’s a nice way to support our partners out there,” McCarthy said. “[The fair] is a unique event in Whatcom County where we have something really big and wonderful where the parking is not so great.”
This year marks the official comeback of free fare days, as the event did not take place after WTA temporarily made bus rides free during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WTA’s free fare promotion used to run for less than one week in the past but has been extended this year as the Northwest Washington Fair now runs for 10 days.
“We’re happy to be able to do it again,” McCarthy said, “We look forward to seeing people on the bus.”
