Overview
- The proposal would suspend fares on all MTA local buses across the five boroughs from mid-June to mid-July to coincide with the FIFA World Cup.
- Mamdani’s team has floated an estimated cost of roughly $100 million for the five-week test, according to reporting based on a source familiar with the plan.
- City officials have discussed including the pilot in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s state budget, which is currently under negotiation.
- The MTA and some state officials have signaled hesitation, citing the agency’s reliance on fare revenue to fund much of its approximately $21 billion annual operating budget.
- Supporters point to a 2023 free-route pilot that boosted ridership and reduced assaults on drivers, and the timing targets an expected influx of more than 1.2 million visitors to the New York–New Jersey area.