Bay Transit, which suspended the collection of fares in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, will reinstate those fares on its buses beginning next month.

The public transportation division of Bay Aging, Bay Transit operates a number of fixed-route and on-demand buses throughout the Middle Peninsula. In March 2020, Bay Transit suspended fare collection as part of a broad array of safety protocols implemented to help protect riders and drivers from COVID-19.

On Monday, April 4, fare collection will resume on both on-demand buses ($2 per ride) and fixed-route trips (50 cents per ride). To make riders feel safe and comfortable on their buses, Bay Transit stopped fare collection, eliminating the exchange of money or vouchers between drivers and riders.

In addition, on every bus, Bay Transit installed plexiglass shields around the bus driver’s seat, premium cabin filtration systems, plexiglass partitions between every passenger seat, cordoned off bus seats, limited ridership...