UPDATE: Columbia’s GoCOMO bus system to remain fare free for at least another year

By Brian Hauswirth
exiting a go como downtown shuttle bus aug. 28 2025 (002)

Columbia’s city council has voted to approve an ordinance that continues to suspend transportation fares for riders of the city’s GoCOMO public transit system.

go como bus east stewart road and south fifth street aug. 28 2025 (002)
A Columbia GoCOMO bus near East Stewart and South Fifth street (August 28, 2025 photo courtesy of Columbia Public Works spokesman John Ogan)

GoCOMO has been operating fare-free since the March 2020 COVID emergency declaration. City manager De’Carlon Seewood recommended approval of the suspension of the fares. Mr. Seewood’s two-page report to the council says GoCOMO has the ability to manage expenses for the next fiscal year with current transportation sales tax funding and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) operating grant funds.

exiting a go como downtown shuttle bus aug. 28 2025 (002)
Mizzou football fans exit a GoCOMO shuttle bus in Columbia on August 28, 2025 (photo courtesy of Columbia Public Works spokesman John Ogan)

The city has also used federal Care and American Rescue Plan Acts funding to keep the system fare free, but those funds have been expended. The last full fiscal year to charge fares was 2019, six years ago.

Ridership for fixed route GoCOMO in fiscal year 2024 was about 348,000, and ridership for paratransit that year was about 62,000. The last full fiscal year to charge fares was 2019.