Free public transport in Massachusetts

Free public transit initiatives have been experimented with in various locations across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since the 2010s, with a notable increase in pilot programs introduced as a response to declining ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Support for fare-free transit in Massachusetts has been expressed by prominent figures such as Governor Maura Healey, U.S. Senator Ed Markey, U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, former acting mayor Kim Janey, and Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

Initial Advocacy

Matthew Haugen of Nonprofit Quarterly attributes early backing for free public transportation in Boston during the 2010s to grassroots organizations like Alternatives for Community and Environment, with particular credit to transit-oriented development director Mela Bush-Miles.

On January 31, 2019, City Councilor Michelle Wu authored an op-ed in The Boston Globe advocating for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to explore fare elimination. Wu subsequently emerged as a prominent advocate for fare-free transit both locally and nationally. In 2019, she collaborated with City Councilor Kim Janey to propose making the MBTA Route 28 bus fare-free. Wu’s Boston Green New Deal plan released in August 2020 included provisions for fare-free public transportation. Recognizing her efforts, The Boston Globe editorial board endorsed fare-free bus services in January 2021.

Pilot Program Offering Limited Free Transit Passes (2021)

In March 2021, acting Mayor Kim Janey initiated a pilot program providing 1,000 employees across five commercial districts—East Boston, Fields Corner, Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, and Nubian Square—with complimentary MBTA and Bluebikes passes loaded with up to $60 in credit.

MBTA Fare-Free Bus Route Pilot (2021–Present)

In June 2021, Janey announced a $500,000 three-month pilot program that removed fares on MBTA Route 28. This initiative followed earlier advocacy from her and Councilor Michelle Wu. By November 2021, weekly ridership on Route 28 had increased to over 70,000—up from 47,000 before the pandemic—directly linked to the pilot. A study conducted in 2022 revealed a 38% rise in weekday ridership during this period.

The topic of fare-free transit featured prominently during the 2021 mayoral campaign: Andrea Campbell supported making all bus routes fare-free; John Barros favored free rides for low-income passengers on select routes; Annissa Essaibi George expressed skepticism about the practicality of such measures.

Following her election victory, Mayor Michelle Wu extended the Route 28 pilot by two months in December 2021 and launched a two-year fare-free initiative beginning March 2022 for Routes 23, 28, and 29 serving Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury. Wu’s campaign had promoted "Free the T," advocating for fare elimination funded through federal COVID-19 relief resources. The Boston City Council approved an $8 million budget allocation to support this program.

An MBTA report issued in February 2022 indicated a 20% increase in ridership on Route 23; however, two-thirds of passengers did not realize cost savings due to transfer fares still being required. The removal of fares expedited travel times by eliminating delays caused by fare collection processes. The initial pilot managed to reach approximately 90% of pre-pandemic ridership levels.

By February 2023, average weekday ridership across these three routes had doubled compared to figures from February 2021:

• Route 23: increased from 4,783 to 10,185
• Route 28: rose from 5,571 to 10,905
• Route 29: grew from 735 to 1,652

Ridership on these routes surpassed pre-pandemic numbers despite an overall system-wide decline of 21% in bus ridership. A rider survey conducted in March 2023 found that 26% of passengers saved more than $20 monthly due to waived fares; furthermore, approximately 15% of trips were new journeys that would not have occurred otherwise. Over the course of the two-year pilot, riders collectively saved upwards of $6 million in fares, averaging $35 monthly savings for half of those surveyed.

By late 2022, Boston was contemplating expanding this fare-free program further. By April 2023, conversations involving Cambridge and the MBTA were underway regarding extending fare-free service to Route 1. In February 2024, Boston approved an $8.4 million budget extension to continue the three-route pilot through 2026.

Fare-free MBTA Blue Line service during Sumner Tunnel closure (July–August 2023)

From July 5 through August 31, 2023, the MBTA Blue Line in Boston operated without charging fares due to the Sumner Tunnel being closed.

Additional MBTA fare-free initiatives

On New Year’s Eve of 2022, the MBTA offered complimentary late-night transit service across all its lines.

2019 fare removal on three Lawrence routes

In 2019, three bus routes operated by the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MeVa) serving Lawrence, Massachusetts, became fare-free through funding provided by the city. Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera acknowledged that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s support for fare-free transit helped inspire this measure.

Systemwide fare-free pilot program (2022–present)

The MeVa Board approved a two-year pilot program in February 2022 that removed fares on bus and paratransit services throughout all municipalities under its jurisdiction. This initiative began in March of that year. Subsequently, on February 6, 2025, MeVa’s advisory board voted unanimously to make the fare-free policy permanent, positioning MeVa as the first transit authority in Massachusetts to adopt such a measure.

Worcester Regional Transit Authority systemwide fare elimination (2020–present)

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Worcester had been pursuing fare elimination efforts; however, it was not until March 2020 that the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) introduced a temporary fare-free policy supported by federal COVID-19 relief funds. This policy has been extended several times and is currently set to continue through June 2024. Board members have emphasized the necessity of securing alternative funding sources to maintain the program once federal assistance ends.

By the year 2022, WRTA ridership had increased by approximately 20% compared to pre-pandemic figures—a trend contrary to the declines observed in most U.S. transit agencies. A study conducted in 2023 by the nonprofit Worcester Regional Research Bureau verified WRTA as Massachusetts’ sole transit system to exceed ridership levels from before COVID-19. As of that year, WRTA holds distinction as having the longest continuously operating systemwide fare-free policy among U.S. bus networks according to the Zero Fare Coalition.

Additional pilot initiatives

Between March 25, 2020, and April 1, 2021, the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority ran buses without charging fares. In 2021, the Brockton Area Transit Authority experimented with fare-free public transportation on summer weekends to help regain riders lost amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Commencing April 26, 2021, the Franklin Regional Transit Authority introduced fare-free fixed-route bus services supported by COVID-19 relief funds. Since the onset of the pandemic, its governing board has maintained this no-fare policy through each fiscal year.

On November 15, 2022, Massachusetts initiated a $2.5 million pilot lasting 37 days that temporarily removed fares for several regional transit authorities, excluding the MBTA. The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority took part in this program. Governor Maura Healey, who assumed office in January 2023, committed to evaluating these pilots and advancing "a pathway to fare free buses" statewide.

Endorsement of fare-free transit by Massachusetts congressional representatives

In June 2020, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley alongside Senator Ed Markey proposed a $5 billion federal grant aimed at aiding municipalities that operate fare-free bus and rail systems. They reintroduced this legislation in April 2023 with the goal of promoting zero-fare public transit projects capable of transforming urban transportation and funding frameworks.

External links

Boston bus pilot program documentation

• Free Route 23, 28, AND 29 Bus Program – City of Boston
• Fare-Free Program for Routes 23, 28, and 29 – Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

City of Boston reports:

• City of Boston Fare Free Program Mid Program Report (March 2023)
• Route 28 Fare-Free Pilot Evaluation Summary Findings (March 2023)
  • Survey Results Appendix

February 2023 City of Boston press releases:

• English version
• Spanish version
• Haitian Creole version

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority materials:

• MBTA Boston Free Bus: Fare Equity Analysis Results technical memorandum (June 2022)
• Press release: "Pilot Program Offering Free Fares on Route 28 Bus for Three Months This Fall" (July 26, 2021)

Worcester Regional Research Bureau studies on Worcester Regional Transit Authority

• Resurging Regional Ridership: Analysis of mobility flows and ridership in the WRTA region (April 2023)