Carbon County will continue to cover the rate increase gap for seniors who use the shared ride program through the end of June.

Last week, the county approved the move to cover the additional 30 cents per ride for seniors sponsored through the Area Agency on Aging.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich said that the board was able to extend coverage because ridership had decreased last year after the county allocated approximately $2,400 toward covering the gap in fare increase.

He said that because of the pandemic, only $811.50 was used of the money.

Last June, Carbon County approved the action for the ride subsidy after LANTA’s 90-cent rate hike on one-way rides under the shared ride program was set to go into effect.

The shared ride program is a community transit ride available to anyone, regardless of age, and fees are on a tiered zone structure for one-way rides. Trip fares, if not sponsored, cost between $27 and $56, and sponsored from $4.05 to $8.40.

At the time, Owen O’Neil, executive director of LANTA, said that 85 percent of the cost is covered by Pennsylvania Lottery funds for people over the age of 65, while 10 percent is covered by the Carbon County Area Agency on Aging for sponsored seniors.

He also noted this was the first fare increase in four years.

For more information on the shared ride or Lynx services or to obtain an application for the Senior Transit ID, visit http://carbontransit.com.