Relative to fare free buses
The bill aims to significantly enhance public transportation usage by reducing the financial barriers associated with bus travel. In addition to promoting ease of access, the bill establishes a fare-free advisory group comprising community stakeholders, MBTA personnel, and representatives from diverse sectors including labor and environmental justice. This group will oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of the fare-free pilot. Their responsibilities include setting goals and determining key performance metrics to measure impacts on ridership, equity, system efficiency, and incidents affecting both drivers and riders. This collaborative approach is expected to address community concerns, making public transport more inclusive and efficient.
Senate Bill S2397, presented by Patricia D. Jehlen and others, proposes a pilot program for fare-free bus services within the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). The initiative seeks to allow unrestricted access to bus services for all passengers, eliminating the need for passes, cash fares, or CharlieTickets. The pilot will span a minimum of one year and will encapsulate a blend of priority and high-ridership routes to optimize service delivery and community accessibility. Importantly, at least ten priority routes will be included along with routes that demonstrated higher than average usage during the months of March to December 2020, effectively harnessing past ridership data to inform route selections.
Despite the anticipated benefits of S2397, there are potential points of contention among legislators and community advocates regarding long-term funding sustainability for the fare-free program and its overall impact on MBTA's financial health. Critics may voice concerns about the feasibility of such a pilot in light of existing budget constraints and the challenges of ensuring equitable access without the guaranteed revenue from fares. The successful implementation of the bill will require careful monitoring and adjustment based on the pilot outcomes, as findings will be reported every six months to ensure transparency and accountability.