BOSTON (WHDH) - Local elected leaders have launched a new push for public transportation at no cost to riders across the country as they re-introduce the “Freedom to Move Act.”
Senator Ed Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley recently discussed the legislation, which would bring in government funding to support free rides, at an event at Ruggles station in Boston on Monday.
The move comes as Boston already has an experiment in place using federal funds to eliminate fares on three local bus routes.
Officials say ridership on buses went up by 35% with the elimination of fares.
The move has also put more money in the pockets of riders including Connie Forbes, who recently discussed her free public transit rides.
“You just get on the bus and you put yourself into a seat, you’re done,” Forbes told 7NEWS. “Instead of having to figure out where to put the money in the meter or tap your card.“
“This is actually saving us a bit of money to go towards something essential like food,” Forbes continued.
Markey and Pressley said they want other states and cities to offer the same perk as Boston, with their bill calling for $25 billion over five years for fare free public transportation systems.
Officials have tried before and failed. As they reintroduce the Freedom to Move Act, Markey and Pressley said the issue is a matter of equity.
“Transit justice is a racial and economic justice issue,” Pressley said. “We know the people who depend on public transit the most are mostly black, brown or low income.”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was also at Ruggles station Monday. She said a fare free transit system is actually a cost saver.
“We see tremendous benefits and savings from getting rid of fare collection especially for buses and it makes the operations run better,” she said.
Forbes said she can attest to Wu’s point.
“It’s nice to have our drivers be able to pay attention to driving which is their job versus having to be the fare boss police people for the MBTA,” she said. “That’s important because I’ve seen fights break out on the T and now with the new system in place we don’t have that. We don’t see that.”
The proposal from Markey and Pressley remains in its beginning stages. If it were to move forward, cities and states would have to apply for grant money to be used not only for fares, but for safety and equality of transit systems.
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