Overview
- The Citizens Budget Commission urged the City Council to reject universal fare-free buses and raise Fair Fares eligibility to 250% of the federal poverty level.
- The watchdog estimates free buses would cost taxpayers more than $900 million a year, versus $146 million to expand Fair Fares to a total annual cost of $232 million.
- Raising eligibility to 250% of the poverty line would add about 722,000 people to Fair Fares, bringing the eligible pool to nearly 2 million riders.
- The report says cutting bus fares to zero is unlikely to speed trips and could slow service by increasing crowding unless the city funds more service.
- City Council leaders are moving to broaden Fair Fares access, with officials estimating about $130 million for the expansion, as critics doubt a citywide free-bus rollout this year given a projected $5.4 billion budget gap.