Now that the Sun Link modern streetcar has been operating for almost 4 months, I’m suggesting that some change is needed. Operations started on July 25, 2014, with the first 3 days of riding for free.
People have been complaining of no one-way passes/tickets. Not everyone who rides the 4 mile route needs a round trip one day (24 hour) pass, which costs $4 at the kiosks.
Offering one way passes at the Sun Link station kiosks would encourage ridership by people who would use it one way to get somewhere. Currently people who want a one way trip realize it costs $4, so they are opting out. There is no option to buy a one-way pass at the kiosks.
A one-way ticket for $1.50 or $2 would be highly beneficial for students (who don’t usually have a lot of extra money), new riders, families. I’ve ridden Sun Link a number of times and have encountered frustrated riders who desire one-way tickets. Even walkers in the All Souls Procession on Nov. 9 needed one-way tickets back to the 6th Avenue/6th Street start-up point, where many had left their cars/trucks/bikes.
Offering one-way passes may help families save some money. For example, a family of four on a day trip in town would have to pay $16 to ride both ways under the current system, but with one-way passes would pay only $6 – $8, then could choose to walk back to save some $. AZ Daily Star columnist Tim Steller and his family encountered this problem just recently: http://tucson.com/news/local/column/steller-streetcar-ticketing-discourages-spontaneous-trips/article_9a4d9b0c-3eb5-54fa-a98b-a4b8a19532e9.html?id=201408