Regional Plan Association releases new report on reduced, free fare programs across U.S.

The Regional Plan Association (RPA) released a new report, “Reduced Fares: Lessons from Across the Country”, during a panel at Climate Week NYC. The research focuses on reduced or free fare transit programs across the U.S., specifically looking into how they aide riders whose economic circumstances make paying public transit fares a financial burden. The report draws on experiences from seven metropolitan regions via interviews with advocates, experts and transit workers to learn how programs across the country are approaching enrollment to make transit more affordable for their riders.

“For over 100 years, RPA has been committed to expanding mobility that connects the region and improving the quality of life and public health of our communities,” said RPA President and CEO Tom Wright. “This report digs into the vital connection between transit service and health and well-being for vulnerable communities and provides important insights for policymakers looking to expand affordability.”

Key findings from the report includes:

• There are 18 reduced fare transit programs across the U.S., 14 of which have a higher income threshold requirement than the baseline 130% Federal Poverty Line (FPL).
• Enrollment across many programs is low, with seven case study examples showing highest program participation rates at 50%.
• A series of best practices aid several programs by addressing outreach and enrollment gaps.
• Some programs have sought to investigate connections between transit affordability and health, which in the case of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s program, led to the establishment of a reduced fare discount for riders, though the topic of health benefits across programs is largely unexplored.

Key recommendations from the report include:

• Implement wider eligibility thresholds to reach more riders: Broadening income thresholds to a higher percentage of the federal poverty rate can qualify a greater number of people who struggle with transportation cost burdens but are excluded from limited income eligibility requirements.
• Ease processes through auto enrollment and auto qualification: Automated processes for registering people into programs eases the application constraints that prohibit enrollment.
• Utilize community-based organizations (CBOs) to reach eligible riders: Partnerships with CBOs can address communication gaps between agencies and underserved communities who face barriers to enrollment.
• Employ more dynamic outreach efforts: Implementation of multiple and creative methods of outreach can help further disseminate program information among eligible populations.
• Evaluate fair fare programs’ effects on community health and wellbeing: collaborative work between public transit agencies and research organizations can reveal potential health impacts and benefits of reduced fare programs.

“RPA’s excellent report lays out a framework for New York City’s mayor to tackle our affordability crisis head-on by expanding fair fares eligibility to at least 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, to Metro-North and the [Long Island Rail Road] LIRR within New York City and to increase participation through automatic enrollment,” said Metropolitan Transportation Authority Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC) Executive Director Lisa Daglian. “PCAC is proud to have fought alongside the Community Service Society and Riders Alliance to expand fair fares eligibility to more than 200,000 New Yorkers. However, as this report shows, much more work is needed to support the health and economic mobility of NYC’s low-income residents.” 

“Reduced fare programs are a direct investment in the people who need it to get to their jobs, health appointments and social connections,” said Report Co-author and RPA Director of DEI Initiatives Vanessa Barrios.  “By making enrollment easier, expanding eligibility and ensuring people know these programs exist, trust in our transit systems can be re-established across the country and when transit is made affordable to riders who are struggling with costs, it shows our transit authorities’ commitment to providing a safe and dependable ride to all, not just some.”