Overview
- CBS News reports the mayor-elect plans to seek roughly $800 million a year for fareless buses, funded by higher corporate and millionaire taxes that would require state approval.
- MTA leadership signaled reluctance, with Chair Janno Lieber stressing a focus on low-income riders and warning against large revenue losses, while an expert said board and state backing will be crucial.
- The MTA’s five-route 2023–24 pilot logged about 43,000 riders, nearly 50,000 additional trips, and an estimated $16.5 million in forgone fares.
- Pilot safety claims are contested: assaults fell 31.9% on the free routes as overall bus assaults dropped 15.4%, and analysts say the small sample limits confidence in attributing changes to the policy.
- Opponents point to Kansas City’s move to restore fares after a zero-fare period marked by rising disturbances and security costs, as New York contends with high bus fare evasion and about $315 million in lost revenue.