HSR riders living with disabilities will get an extra six months of voluntary ride fares, with the City of Hamilton’s new discounted program set to start in the new year.

As of January 1, those with disabilities in Hamilton will no longer be able to ride HSR buses free of charge.

In their final meeting of the year, city council voted to allow for a transition period for riders with disabilities.

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However, the voluntary payment option ends on June 30. The City hopes to encourage those riders to apply in the meantime to its “fare assist” program.

The decision came through an amendment at city council’s final meeting of the year, which also included a report on the six-month transition due in September.

But starting on January 1st, the fare assist program will be available to low income Hamiltonians with Presto cards — where they can receive a 30 per cent discount on fares.

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City staff estimate around 88,000 people could benefit from the program, and it will run for three years as a pilot.

“Fare assist will be measured based on the success on how many apply. We will also be able to grab better data on all applicants’ income levels. When we selected the 30 per cent discount, we don’t know if that’ll be the right number, it’s possible we may recommend a much deeper discount,” Hamilton’s Director of Transit, Maureen Cosyn Heath said.

The new pilot program’s end date is slated for June 30, 2026.