Overview
- MTA Chairman Janno Lieber disputed Zohran Mamdani’s $700–$800 million annual estimate, projecting bus fare revenue could push toward $1 billion within a few years.
- Lieber said the agency will formally study any citywide fare-free bus proposal, pointing to the multiyear review model used for congestion pricing.
- He warned that eliminating fares could require more buses, drivers and depot capacity and could reduce subway fare revenue, and he noted potential implications for MTA bondholders.
- Recent MTA data showed high bus fare nonpayment in Q3 2025—about 50% on Select Bus Service and 44% on local routes—figures cited in the revenue debate.
- Mamdani dismissed the critique as overstated, said he remains confident in his numbers and would work with the MTA if elected, as the exchange unfolded six days before the mayoral election.