Fare changes on Kamloops buses have been approved by city council.

Councillors approved the same changes that they had deferred last month, when they asked city staff for more information.

Engineering manager Deven Matkowski says those changes include some cost increases, but also a decrease in monthly passes and replacing the transfer system with a $4-dollar day pass.

“One is, any misuse of the transfer program, we’ll be able to eliminate that with the DayPASS on board. That’s probably revenue that we should be collecting, but the systems that are in place are allowing it to sort of slip through our fingers, so to speak. The other way is with cheaper monthly passes and the convenience, we’re expecting an increase in ridership.”

The city expects the changes, which will be in place as of September, will add $191,000 dollars in annual revenue and also expects ridership to jump by 11 per cent.

Council voted 6-2 to approve the bus fare changes; Councillors Dale Bass and Kathy Sinclair were opposed to the changes, citing concerns of eliminating the transfer system. Councillor Bill Sarai was absent for the vote.