"The Fair Fares discount transit program is perhaps the best-kept secret in terms of building a more affordable New York though it shouldn't be a secret at all."
"Close to a million people, making up to 150% of the city's poverty line, are missing out on a program that offers bus and subway rides at 50% off."
"Expanding Fair Fares would come at an estimated cost of between $150 million and $170 million, close to double what the city has already baselined."
"The fare-free bus idea is expensive; the city will have to pony up close to a billion dollars a year to take over the capital and ordinary expenses involved."
The Fair Fares program provides 50% discounts on transit for low-income New Yorkers but has only 370,000 enrollees out of 1.3 million eligible. The City Council proposes expanding eligibility to 350% of the poverty line and automatic enrollment for those receiving public benefits. This expansion would cost between $150 million and $170 million. Despite a $5.6 billion deficit, the program is seen as a cost-efficient way to support those in need. Mayor Mamdani also advocates for a fare-free bus system, which faces significant financial challenges.
Read at www.amny.com
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