If approved, the District would become the most populous city in the nation to eliminate bus fares.
The D.C. Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a proposal that would make Metrobus rides free, making the District the most populous city in the nation to waive fares for public transportation.
Beginning in March 2020, transit leaders waived Metrobus fares through January 2021 to protect bus operators from the coronavirus by requiring passengers to board from rear doors, limiting contact with drivers. The farebox and first rows of seating were cordoned to create a buffer. Mendelson said he spoke to Metro General Manager Randy Clarke and came up with a plan to simply waive fare collection on Metrobuses. The cost of the program is estimated at $42 million, substantially lower than the transit subsidy program.The amended bill proposes to add a subsidy in October 2024, if funding is available. The current version includes a $10 million annual boost for bus infrastructure improvements that was part of the original bill.Mendelson said he expects the bill to pass.
Jeffrey C. McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said the cost of eliminating fares on the Fairfax Connector would be about $9 million annually. Cutting fares on Metrobus in Fairfax would cost the county about $13 million more, McKay said. In Montgomery County, the RideOn bus service was fare-free for two years during the pandemic. County leaders brought fares back at $1, which is half the previous cost.Tom Hucker, a former county council member who advocated for free fares as chairman of the transportation committee, said the District’s move could give new weight for bringing free buses to Montgomery.
While some transit agencies have committed to free bus travel for a limited number of years, officials at the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority said there is no end date for their zero-fare program.
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