Fair Fares Program Criticized for Eligibility Threshold

An article by Niamh Rowe describes New York City mayor Eric Adams' plan to fund the city's Fair Fares transit assistance program, which some critics are calling an inadequate effort to ensure everyone can afford to travel by public transit. According to Rowe, "The plan would cut train and bus fares by half for New Yorkers with incomes at or below the federal poverty level who are not eligible for other transit subsidies or benefits such as those for people with disabilities." The mayor has pledged $75 million to the program for the coming fiscal year, down from $106 million in 2019.

But advocates say the program doesn't go far enough to support New Yorkers who live just above the federal poverty line in one of the country's most expensive cities. According to Danny Pearlstein, policy and communications director of the Riders Alliance, "Two hundred percent of poverty is probably the sweet spot" in New York. Additionally, the program's low visibility means only one-third of eligible New Yorkers are using it. "It can’t be called public transit unless it’s fully accessible to the public," says community organizer Rana Abdelhamid in the article. Advocates like Pearstein and Abdelhamid are calling on the city to raise the budget and widen eligibility for the program.