Without other dedicated funding sources, U.S. transit agencies likely can’t sustain fare-free programs.
As federal funds that supported some pandemic-era free transit programs wind down, transit agencies must evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of free fare programs. As Tim Henderson explains in Stateline, free transit rides can be an important lifeline for low-income workers who depend on transit to get to work and access other needs.
Critics of free transit question the effectiveness of making transit free for all riders, including high-income users who could afford to pay fares. Free transit programs may make less sense in cities with more affluent commuters, according to Brian Taylor, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles and director of the university’s Institute of Transportation Studies. But in many places, transit riders are overwhelmingly lower-income. Proponents of free transit also argue that eliminating fare collection and enforcement would lower operational costs, making up for lost revenue.
To make free transit sustainable without sacrificing service, agencies will have to find other dedicated sources of funding to replace fare revenue.
FULL STORY: No fare! Free bus rides raise questions of fairness, viability.
Massachusetts Extends Free Transit Through June 2025
Gov. Healey announced a $30 million extension to new and existing free fare programs at 13 public transit agencies.
Complicating the Free Transit Vs. Service Debate
Pitting Washington, D.C.’s K Street Transitway against free transit oversimplifies a more complex issue.
Opinion: Improving Transit More Important Than Free Fares
More investments in high-quality transit service coupled with income-based discounts could offer a better way to boost ridership and help low-income riders.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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