Free public transport in Massachusetts

Free public transport has been implemented in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through various trials and programs since the 2010s. Pilot programs have been run on several transit agencies in the state, with many of these pilot programs arising following losses of ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Forms of fare-free public transport have received political support from prominent Massachusetts politicians such as Governor Maura Healey, U.S. Senator Ed Markey, U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, former Boston acting mayor Kim Janey, and Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

Boston[edit]

This article is part of a series about
Michelle Wu
Boston City Councilor
Mayor of Boston

Early proposals[edit]

Matthew Haugen of Nonprofit Quarterly credits grassroots support for the idea of free public transit in Boston in the 2010s as coming from groups such as Alternatives for Community and Environment, particularly that group's transit-oriented development director, Mela Bush-Miles.[1]

City Councilor Michelle Wu argued that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) should explore the possibility of eliminating fares in a January 31, 2019 op-ed published in The Boston Globe.[2] Later in 2019, she and City Councilor Kim Janey proposed making the MBTA Route 28 bus fare-free.[3] Wu's August 2020 proposal for a Boston Green New Deal incorporated a call for Boston to pursue fare-free public transportation.[4] Crediting Councilwoman Wu as a leader on free public transit, in January 2021, the editorial board of The Boston Globe endorsed the idea of making Boston's buses fare-free.[5] Wu would come to be considered a prominent voice in both the local and national push for free public transit.[1][6]

Limited free transit pass pilot program (2021)[edit]

In March 2021, Kim Janey, at the time the city of Boston's acting mayor, announced a pilot program that would offer 1,000 workers in five of the city's business districts (East Boston, and Fields Corner, Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, Nubian Square, Three Squares) free MBTA and Bluebikes passes with up to $60 in credit.[7][8]

Fare-free MBTA bus route pilot program (2021–present)[edit]

See also: MBTA key bus routes and List of MBTA bus routes
Boston's fare-free MBTA bus route pilot program began solely with the MBTA Route 28 bus (pictured)

In June 2021, Acting Boston Mayor Janey announced that the city would be funding a $500,000 three-month pilot that would see the MBTA's Route 28 bus be made fare-free. In 2019, as a city councilor, she and fellow councilor Michelle Wu had previously called for this bus route to be made fare-free.[9]

The city, in November 2021, announced that its data showed that during the pilot program ridership had increased to an excess of 70,000 in weekly ridership. Pre-COVID-19 pandemic weekly ridership on the route had been 47,000, making the COVID-era pilot program ridership significantly greater despite the general impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public transportation rider. The city concluded that, in comparison to ridership trends on comparable routes of the MBTA, the increase in ridership was directly attributable to the pilot program.[10] A later more in-depth 2022 analysis found an overall 38% increase in weekday ridership from 7,500 before the pandemic to 10,200 during the September and October periods during the pilot program.[11][12]

During the 2021 Boston mayoral election, in which Kim Janey and Michelle Wu were candidates, fellow candidate Andrea Campbell voiced her support for making all of the city's buses fare-free. Candidate John Barros supported making ridership free for some low-income riders on select bus lines.[13] Candidate Annissa Essaibi George was critical of the idea of free public transport, questioning its feasibility.[14][15]

A MBTA Route 23 bus being tailed by a MBTA Route 28 bus in the Roxbury Crossing area

In December 2021, Michelle Wu, who had won the 2021 mayoral election and was now mayor of Boston, extended the pilot program by two months.[16] Wu afterwards succeeded in launching a two-year program to have the MBTA Route 23, 28, and 29 buses run fare-free for two years, with this program beginning on March 1, 2022.[17][18][19] These buses serve the Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury communities.[18] Wu's mayoral campaign had included advocacy for fare-free public transit with the catchphrase "Free the T" ("the T" being a nickname for the MBTA). She filed paperwork for this expansion of the pilot program on her first day as mayor.[20] In mid-November 2021, Wu had sent an appropriations order to the Boston City Council requesting their approval to appropriate $8 million of federal funds to fund the two years of fare-free service on the three bus routes.[18][19] The funds are COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.[21][22] At the start of December, the City Council approved the appropriations order 12–1.[23] On February 9, 2022, it was announced by Wu and MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak that the two-year program for the three routes to be fare-free was officially agreed to and would be launched on March 1, 2022.[24][17]

In February 2022, a report was released by MBTA that showed that in the initial pilot, Route 23 saw a 20% increase in ridership. However, the report showed that due to the limited scope of the pilot, impacting only one line, 66% of riders on the route did not save money on fares as they were required to purchase transit passes for connecting trips. The report also claimed that the fare-free service decreased travel time on the route, with there being a 20% reduction in lag time at stops due to the elimination of fare collection.[25] The initial pilot program had seen the line reach 90% of the pre-pandemic ridership numbers.[21]

Reports show that between February 2021 and February 2023, average weekday ridership on the three lines included in the pilot program had doubled:[26]

  • Route 23 increased from 4,783 average weekday ridership to 10,185[26]
  • Route 28 increased from 5,571 average weekday ridership to 10,905[26]
  • Route 29 increased from 735 average weekday ridership to 1,652[26]

Reports also showed that average weekday ridership had also increased on all three lines by February 2023 compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic ridership numbers. This came in contrast a 21% overall decrease in average weekday ridership on the whole MBTA bus system compared to pre-pandemic ridership (February 2023 vs. February 2020).[26]

  • Route 23 had 10,185 average weekday riders in February 2023 compared to 8,845 in February 2020[26]
  • Route 28 had 10,905 average weekday riders in February 2023 compared to 9,128 in February 2020[26]
  • Route 29 had 1,652 average weekday riders in February 2023 compared to 1,591 in February 2020[26]

According to a rider survey released in March 2023, 26% percent of passengers on the three fare-free routes saved in excess of $20 per month due to the elimination of fares on those routes.[27][28] The survey also revealed that 15% of rides on the three bus lines are trips that otherwise would not have been taken using any mode (public or private) in the absence of the fare-free public transit options.[27][29] At the end of the two-year pilot, the city reported that riders had saved more than $6 million on fares in its two-year run, with half of the riders having savings which averaged $35 per month.[30]

Boston, by late-2022, was looking at further expansion of the program.[31] By April 2023, there were discussions between Boston, Cambridge, and MBTA about additionally making MBTA Route 1 fare-free.[32] In February 2024, the city authorized a $8.4 million two-year extension of the three-route pilot into 2026.[33]

Two-month fare-free service on the MBTA Blue Line (July and August 2023)[edit]

During the temporary closure of Boston's Sumner Tunnel (scheduled to last July 5 through August 31, 2023), the MBTA Blue Line rapid transit line ran fare-free.[34][35]

Other MBTA fare-free service[edit]

On New Year's Eve in December 2022, the MBTA offered fare-free late-night service on all of its services.[36][37]

Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority[edit]

A Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority bus

2019 elimination of fares on three routes in Lawrence[edit]

In 2019, fares were eliminated on three Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) bus lines serving the city of Lawrence. This was made possible with funding provided by the city of Lawrence.[38] Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera had been influenced by Michelle Wu of Boston's advocacy for fare-free transit when he pushed to implement this program.[39][40]

Systemwide pilot program (2022–present)[edit]

In February 2022, the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority Board voted to launch a two-year pilot program which eliminates fares on bus and paratransit services in all of the municipalities that it serves.[38] The program launched that March.[41]

Worcester Regional Transit Authority systemwide program (2020–present)[edit]

A Worcester Regional Transit Authority bus

The city of Worcester, Massachusetts had been experiencing a movement for fare elimination prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it would not be until the pandemic that this push succeeded in creating an interim fare-free policy.[42] In 2019, Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) itself began to explore the possibility of running fare-free buses in order to increase ridership and improve transit affordability.[43] Beginning in March 2020, amid the pandemic, WRTA launched an interim fare-elimination program.[42] COVID-19 relief funding has been used as the source of funding for this program.[43]

The fare-elimination has extended several times.[42] Most recently, in April 2023, it was extended to continue through June 2024. In the meeting when this unanimous vote to continue the program was made, several board members declared that the system would need to begin finding alternate forms of funding if it wanted to continue the policy even further into the future due to the limited nature of federal COVID-relief funds.[43]

By 2022, ridership had increased during the free public transport program above what pre-pandemic numbers had been.[42] 2022 ridership on the WRTA bus system was 20% higher than ridership had been before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in contrast to most other transit systems in the United States which had seen a decline from pre-pandemic ridership.[44] In 2023, the nonprofit Worcester Regional Research Bureau published a study which indicated that the system was Massachusetts' only transit system to exceed its pre-COVID-19 pandemic bus ridership numbers.[43][45]

As of 2023, per the Zero Fair Coalition, the WRTA had the longest-running active systemwide fare-free policy of any United States bus system.[43]

Other pilot programs[edit]

From March 25, 2020, until April 1, 2021, the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority ran its buses fare-free.[46] In 2021, the Brockton Area Transit Authority ran a pilot program of free public transit on summer weekends in hopes of regaining ridership lost over the course of the COVID pandemic.[47][48]

From April 26, 2021, until June 30, 2023, the Franklin Regional Transit Authority ran its fixed bus routes fare-free using COVID-19 relief funding.[49]

Beginning November 15, 2022, a 37-day pilot $2.5 million program was launched in which the State of Massachusetts provided several regional transportation authorities in different parts of state with funding for 37 days of fare elimination. The program did not include the MBTA.[50] Among the agencies participating in the program was the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority.[51] A spokesperson for Maura Healey, who took office as governor in January 2023, declared that Healey would be "reviewing the results of the Try Transit Holiday initiative, as well as other fare-free programs across the state." Before taking office, Healey had pledged to create "a pathway to fare free buses" in Massachusetts.[52]

Support for free public transport by members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation[edit]

April 2023 press conference by Senator Ed Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley for their "Freedom to Move" legislation, at which they are joined by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and others

In June 2020, United States Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Massachusetts U.S. Senator Ed Markey proposed a federal bill to establish a $5 billion federal grant program to support localities that operate fare-free bus and rail transit services.[53][54] They reintroduced the bill in April 2023.[55]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Haugen, Matthew (May 24, 2023). "Boston's Fare-Free Bus Experiment". Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  2. ^ Wu, Michelle (January 31, 2019). "Forget fare hikes — make the T free". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  3. ^ Gavin, Christopher (March 14, 2019). "Two Boston city councilors want to make the Route 28 Bus free. Here's why". www.boston.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  4. ^ "PLANNING FOR A BOSTON GREEN NEW DEAL & JUST RECOVERY" (PDF). assets.ctfassets.ne. Office of Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu. August 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  5. ^ "In Boston, let's make the bus free". The Boston Globe. January 1, 2021. Archived from the original on September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Zipper, David (March 27, 2023). "How to save America's public transit systems from a doom spiral". Vox. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  7. ^ DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (March 29, 2021). "Boston is offering free MBTA passes to workers in these five neighborhoods". www.boston.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  8. ^ Ta, Ha (March 30, 2021). "Pilot program to offer $60 public transit credit for workers in five main street districts". The Scope. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  9. ^ DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (July 26, 2021). "Boston is eliminating fares on the 28 bus route for three months". www.boston.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  10. ^ "Route 28 Free Bus Pilot program extended". Boston.gov. City of Boston. November 9, 2021. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "Route 28 Fare-Free Pilot Evaluation Summary Findings" (PDF). Boston.gov. City of Boston Transportation. March 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  12. ^ Mohl, Bruce (March 18, 2022). "Wu, MBTA each put own spin on fare-free bus results". CommonWealth Magazine. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  13. ^ Gellerman, Bruce (July 21, 2021). "As Free Transit Gains Momentum Across U.S., It's A Big Boston Mayoral Race Topic". www.wbur.org. WBUR. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  14. ^ Jonas, Michael (October 20, 2021). "Wu says local-option tax could help fund fare-free MBTA service". CommonWealth Magazine. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  15. ^ Morton, Jack Ford McDonald (July 28, 2022). "Boston, MBTA, Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, The T, free transit, mass transit, Boston University, » Dome | Blog Archive | Boston University". sites.bu.edu. Boston University. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  16. ^ Dolven, Taylor. "Wu extends fare-free 28 bus pilot for two additional months as talks with MBTA continue - The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Three bus routes in Boston will be fare free for two years". WCVB. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  18. ^ a b c "Boston Mayor Michelle Wu wants to expand free bus rides". www.wbur.org. November 18, 2021. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  19. ^ a b DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (November 17, 2021). "Michelle Wu moves to make three Boston bus routes free for two years". www.boston.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  20. ^ Kashinsky, Lisa; Snyder, Tanya (June 15, 2023). "Mayors are wielding free transit to draw people back downtown. It's not that easy". Politico. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Tu, Maylin (September 21, 2022). "As Fare-Free Transit Catches On, Checking In On 5 Cities With Free Public Transit". nextcity.org. Next City. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  22. ^ Gurley, Gabrielle (December 6, 2022). "Fare or Free?". The American Prospect. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  23. ^ Gavin, Christopher (December 2, 2021). "City Council passes Mayor Wu's $8 million vision for 3, fare-free MBTA bus lines". www.boston.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  24. ^ "Mayor Wu Announces Launch of Two-Year, Fare-Free Program for MBTA Bus Routes 23, 28 and 29 – The Boston Sun". The Boston Sun. February 10, 2022. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  25. ^ Seay, Bob (February 25, 2022). "Two-thirds of riders on Boston's first fare-free bus have not saved money on transit". www.wgbh.org. WGBH. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h Siegel, Jeremy (March 6, 2023). "Ridership on fare-free MBTA buses more than doubled in program's first year". www.wgbh.org. WGBH. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  27. ^ a b Meyersohn, Nathaniel (July 8, 2023). "These cities are ending fares on transit. Here's why | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  28. ^ "City of Boston Fare Free Program Mid Program Report March 2023" (PDF). Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  29. ^ Beltrán, Bianca (April 24, 2023). "Leaders Push to Fund Fare-Free Transit in Boston, Citing Successful Pilot Programs". NBC Boston. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  30. ^ Yohe, Julia (February 7, 2024). "Boston keeping its 3 fare-free bus routes free to ride for longer". NBC Boston. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  31. ^ Pope, Carl (December 29, 2022). "Cities are experimenting with free buses. So far, so good". NBC News. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  32. ^ Patkin, Abby (April 26, 2023). "Boston and Cambridge eyeing MBTA's 1 bus for fare-free route". Boston.com. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  33. ^ Cawley, Gayla (February 6, 2024). "Boston Mayor Wu extends fare-free bus pilot for two years at $8.4M". Boston Herald. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  34. ^ DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (June 9, 2023). "The entire MBTA Blue Line will be free during 2-month Sumner Tunnel closure this summer". WBUR. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  35. ^ Kazakiewich, Todd (July 5, 2023). "MBTA's Blue Line free during Sumner Tunnel closure". Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  36. ^ Antelman, Dakota (December 29, 2022). "MBTA Plans Free Service Around MA New Year's Eve Celebrations". Malden, MA Patch. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  37. ^ "MBTA Commuter Rail free for New Year's Eve". ABC6. WLNE. December 29, 2022. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  38. ^ a b Dolven, Taylor; February 28, Updated (February 28, 2022). "'A no-brainer': Merrimack Valley RTA makes all buses free to ride for two years". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  39. ^ Barry, Ellen; Rybus, Greta (January 14, 2020). "Should Public Transit Be Free? More Cities Say, Why Not?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  40. ^ Mohl, Bruce (September 9, 2019). "Lawrence eliminates fares on 3 bus routes". CommonWealth Magazine. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  41. ^ "We Are Going Fare Free on March 1, 2022". MVRTA. 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  42. ^ a b c d McNamara, Neal (September 22, 2022). "'Brag About It': Worcester Area Buses Will Stay Free Into 2023". Worcester, MA Patch. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  43. ^ a b c d e Turken, Sam (April 20, 2023). "Worcester area buses to remain free for at least another year". WGBH. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  44. ^ MilNeil, Christian (April 20, 2023). "Worcester's Buses Will Remain Fare-Free Through 2024". StreetsblogMASS. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  45. ^ "Resurging Regional Ridership An analysis of mobility flows, riders, and ridership in the WRTA region (Report 23-03)" (PDF). www.wrrb.org. Worcester Regional Research Bureau. April 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  46. ^ Tallman, Kerri (February 26, 2021). "Free rides coming to an end as SRTA will resume collecting fares on April 1". New Bedford Standard-Times. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  47. ^ Chery, Darvence (June 26, 2021). "Free bus service offered in Brockton on summer weekends to boost businesses post-COVID". Enterprise News. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  48. ^ "Brockton looks to jump-start economy with free weekend bus service". CommonWealth Magazine. June 30, 2021. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  49. ^ "Fare-free buses" (PDF). assets.nationbuilder.com. Livable Streets Alliance. August 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  50. ^ Atencio, George (November 30, 2022). "Statewide fare-free bus program excludes Boston's MBTA". The Daily Free Press. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  51. ^ MacDougall, Alexander (November 28, 2022). "PVTA launches free rides through December through its 'Try Transit' program". www.gazettenet.com. Daily Hampshire Gazette.
  52. ^ DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (November 23, 2022). "Mass. is making non-MBTA public buses free through the holidays". www.wbur.org. WBUR. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  53. ^ DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (June 26, 2020). "Ayanna Pressley and Ed Markey want to eliminate public transit fares. Here's how". www.boston.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  54. ^ Picciotto, Rebecca (January 14, 2023). "The zero-fare public transit movement is picking up momentum". CNBC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  55. ^ Curwin, Eli (April 24, 2023). "Pressley and Markey work to make buses fare-free". www.boston.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.

External links[edit]

Documents on Boston bus pilot program

City of Boson reports:

February 2023 City of Boston press release:

Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority documents:

Worcester Regional Research Bureau reports on Worcester Regional Transit Authority
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