MA: Citing Bay State results, lawmakers push for nationwide fare-free transit

Citing the apparent success of the idea as seen in the state’s regional transit systems, a pair of Bay State congressional delegates are pushing for fare-free public transportation nationwide.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley met at Ruggles Station in Roxbury on Tuesday to share data which they say demonstrates the benefits of fare-free travel and to boost their recently reintroduced Freedom to Move Act, a proposal to provide municipalities nationwide with grants to cover the funding lost by not charging passengers for transport.

Markey said the legislation, if made law, “would make our communities more affordable, more connected, more equitable for everyone.”

“Our bill would provide $25 billion over five years — $5 billion a year — to support state and local transit agencies to create fare-free public transportation systems. Not here just in Massachusetts, but across the entire nation,” Markey said.

Markey said that the bill comes in response to the advocacy of public transit riders, and that it’s about more than making transit affordable, it’s a matter of “giving our communities freedom.”

Fare-free transit means better access to healthcare, childcare, groceries, employment, education, and the simple freedom to travel, Markey said. It’s especially important to traditionally underserved communities and those living with disabilities, he said, for whom the cost of a bus or subway fare could serve as a barrier to connecting with needed services.

Analysis of fare-free systems in Massachusetts show ridership levels far above the national average and well recovered from the lows seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Service has improved, with more frequent on time trips and more riders going to healthcare or educational facilities, according to Markey.

The former Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority — now known as “MeVa” — has seen record ridership jump, according to Markey, with numbers coming in 60% above “pre-pandemic levels.”

Boarding times have dropped by 50%, and so have rider complaints. “Safety incidents” between drivers and riders are down, Markey said, and both rider and driver satisfaction has increased. The senator shared similar data out of Worcester, and for a short list of fare-free pilot program participating MBTA routes.

“What do all these transit services have in common? They are fare-free,” he said.

Arguments against fare-free transit include that transit agencies rely on fare as a revenue stream, that it increases ridership to unsustainable levels, and that it can lead to more “problem riders” using the service.

A free-free program in Kansas City, the first of its kind in a major U.S. city, was ended for most riders after a vote by the city’s transit board members just this week. The end of the program comes as the transit system there faced steep budget shortfalls.