Feb. 18, 2026
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
LANTA fares will change effective March 23, with the standard single bus fare going to $2.50 from $2.
Senior citizens with a LANTA-issued pass will still get to ride for free.
The increases come as no surprise, LANTA has been open about the changes coming.
When I was a reporter, I noticed that stories about the Lehigh Valley International Airport always got more attention than stories about LANTA, though I suspect LANTA handles more passengers.
Perhaps it’s more interesting to think about going to Florida or Denver than it is to ponder taking Route 103 to Catasauqua.
Here’s a screen grab of the new fares from the LANTA website. For the full picture of fare changes and pass policies, see the website.
Again, please see the website, link above, for the complete picture.
As the Allentown-based transportation authority says, “LANTA will be adjusting fares to keep pace with inflation and maintain a sustainable transit system.”
The price of everything is going up, so the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority is adjusting, that is, raising, fares.
LANTA provides a valuable service, but many Lehigh Valley residents don’t use it because they prefer to drive or worse, there are no routes near them. As always and everywhere, support for subsidized transportation varies with need and use.
I live a block from a route that can get me to downtown Bethlehem in a few minutes, so I take the bus. Even more so now that I’m old and can do it for free.
LANTA has always been useful for getting to Easton too, particularly for the Lehigh/Lafayette football game.
I also get free SEPTA rides in the Philadelphia area, and am eligible for reduced fares on NJTransit.
I may not favor subsidies, but I’ll take these, just as a conservative economist once boasted of taking advantage of price ceilings by living in a rent-controlled apartment.
Anyway, be ready to pay a little more for that ride on March 23.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 
The microscopic number of people who(m) think that LANta will still sell them a transfer to change at EITC to the routes 890/891 vans to Phillipsburg and environs has ostensibly shrunk to zero.LANta vehicle operators were never totally fond of the idea, and when this latest change takes effect, presumably they won’t have that worry anymore.Since at least 2024, I have not bothered to even ask them for such a transfer, still remembering the time that I put a multi-day pass in an 890/891 van thinking it was a transfer.As a senior, I also use the LANta-issued ID onboard their equipment, and my state picture ID, accompanied by the reduced fare, on the few occasions when I need to be in P-burg (usually health-related).NJT, whose fares apply on the P-burg vans, plans to raise fares (including the reduced ones) each July 1st indefinitely.Bob (mailto:bob_in_jersey@yahoo.com)
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