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Healey announces state-funded fare-free regional transit
Thirteen regional transit authorities will be able to continue to operate fare-free.
A $30 million grant will allow 13 Regional Transit Authorities across the state to continue providing year-round, fare-free public transportation.
On Thursday, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the funding will be provided in the state’s fiscal year 2025 budget. The grant builds on two years of pilot programs across the state.
“Hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents rely on their Regional Transit Authorities to get to and from work, the grocery store, doctor’s appointments and school,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. “We’re proud to be delivering this funding to help RTAs keep their service fare-free.”
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Senate President Karen Spilka, who helped champion the initiative, said, “Regional transit knits our state together.”
Spilka said the Senate pushed for the funding to help boost access for residents who depend on the services and to make the state more resilient to the climate crisis.
“Merrimack Valley Transit has been fare-free systemwide since March of 2022, and the results have been unassailable,” said Noah Berger, administrator at the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority, in a statement.
Since going fare-free, fixed-route bus ridership has quadrupled and now exceeds pre-pandemic levels by over 60%, while passenger complaints are down about a third and subsidies per passenger are down, he said.
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In addition, many riders no longer have to ration trips to medical or educational appointments due to cost and are keeping more money in their pockets to spend at local businesses in Lawrence, Methuen, and Haverhill, Berger said.
Brockton Area Transit Authority Administrator Michael Lambert said ridership levels are the highest in a quarter century.
He said in a statement that the high ridership “thereby advances our goals to support the local economy, reduce congestion, improve air quality and enhance the overall quality of life for our community.”
Working together, the 13 RTAs submitted a joint application to disburse the $30 million based on ridership within their service areas. Previously, the RTAs used federal and state funds to provide the free service. Now, the service will be continued entirely through state funding.
The 13 RTAs that applied for and will be receiving funds are:
Worcester Regional Transit Authority: $5,517,286
Brockton Area Transit Authority: $2,582,274
Berkshire Regional Transit Authority: $699,733
Cape Anne Transit Authority: $293,054
Franklin Regional Transit Authority: $218,173
Lowell Regional Transit Authority: $1,170,257
Montachusett Area Regional Transit: $1,095,279
Merrimack Valley Transit Authority: $2,575,810
MetroWest Regional Transit Authority: $812,331
Nantucket Regional Transit Authority: $484,507
Pioneer Valley Transit Authority: $9,511,353
Southeastern Regional Transit Authority: $3,230,893
Vineyard Transit Authority: $1,809,050
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