Officials stated that the touted ridership increases during the free fare trial were mainly the result of regular riders using the bus lines more rather than attracting new riders. The free fare program also led to increased trip times during peak hours.
MTA head Janno Lieber expressed concerns that the pilot program sent the wrong message by encouraging fare evasion, causing the authority to lose up to $700 million annually. Nearly half of bus passengers are estimated to currently ride without paying.
Interim MTA New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow mentioned that the original goal of the pilot program was to shift people from cars to buses, but this intention did not align with the outcomes observed.
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