Overview
- The Council, in its FY2027 budget response unveiled Wednesday, proposes making subway and bus rides free for residents at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, replacing today’s half-fare discount for that group.
- The speaker’s office estimates the plan at $130 million a year, while the MTA’s advisory committee projects $150 to $170 million to cover roughly 1.0 to 1.3 million eligible New Yorkers.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani has promoted free buses for all riders and criticized the Council’s broader budget plan, and his preliminary budget left out a Fair Fares expansion citing a gap of more than $5 billion.
- MTA Chair Janno Lieber backs building on income-based Fair Fares rather than offering free rides to people who can afford to pay.
- Council leaders say they will explore automatic enrollment to lift participation, and advocates also push to raise the income cap toward 300% of the poverty line to widen access and curb fare evasion.