Linking transit programs to housing can lower administrative costs and streamline the process for riders.
A new free transit program in Seattle will provide free travel to 10,000 public housing residents, reports Daniel C. Vock in Route Fifty, shifting funding that was originally targeted to young transit riders. Youth in Washington state will now receive free fares thanks to a state program.
This isn’t the city’s first experiment with free transit for public housing residents. “In fact, Seattle provided nearly 2,000 public housing residents free fares under a pilot program that started in 2019, according to the mayor’s office.” The city also took steps to provide free transit to some low-income workers during the pandemic.
Tying transit incentives to housing can help the city streamline the program, explained Katie Wilson, general secretary of the Transit Riders Union. “The approach makes administering the program easier, and it could make it easier for residents who, for example, lose a pass to show they qualify for the program.” Advocates like Wilson hope the city and state will continue to expand free transit programs to more residents.
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