Overview
- The city will reimburse the MBTA about $340,000 per month to keep Routes 23, 28 and 29 free through the end of June 2026.
- City officials say the program’s future is under discussion with the MBTA, which has praised the results but made no commitment beyond June.
- Ridership on the three routes grew 35% in the pilot’s first year and now stands about 16% above pre-pandemic levels, according to city data.
- All-door boarding tied to the fare-free service cut dwell times by roughly 20%, helping buses stay on schedule despite higher ridership.
- Boston has spent about $17.34 million in ARPA funds on the pilot since March 2022, with this three-month extension costing roughly $1 million for routes serving Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan.