Three of the MBTA's most high-traffic bus routes will remain free-to-ride through March 2026, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Tuesday, citing the positive impact the pilot program has had on riders' savings and ridership numbers.
Routes 23, 28 and 29 have been fare-free since February 2022, when Wu announced a two-year extension to a pilot program on Route 28 that drastically increased ridership. The program, which uses funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to reimburse the MBTA for the free rides, was supposed to end in late February, but the success of the program influenced Wu to extend it, the city said in a news release.
“Fare free bus routes have been proven to make public transportation more convenient, accessible, and affordable for our residents who depend on transit to get to work and school,” Wu said in a statement. “Community members have emphasized that this program helps them save money, and encourages more trips without worrying about exact change or rationing travel.”
The city estimates that riders have saved around $6 million in bus fees over the last two years, with around half of riders saying they've saved an average of $35 a month.
The three routes have some of the highest ridership rates in the city. Route 23 (Ashmont to Dorchester Center, Grove Hall & Ruggles), Route 28 (Mattapan Square, up Blue Hill Ave. to Nubian Square & Ruggles) and Route 29 (Mattapan Square, up Blue Hill Ave. to Jackson Square) all run through areas with several schools and housing facilities but few options for public transportation.
Over half of the riders that consistently use these routes are classified as low income, according to the city. Additionally, despite the increase in ridership the lines have seen over the last two years, travel times have remained the same, the city said.
Since the initial implementation of the program, other public transportation agencies across Massachusetts have designed similar policies. Merrimack Valley Transit, which serves around 2.8 million riders annually, made all of its bus and paratransit routes fare-free in March 2022.
Wu campaigned on the promise of expanding affordable and accessible public transportation. In October, she announced a discounted annual Bluebikes pass that shaves off over half the cost of the normal annual rate.
