One year into its ambitious pilot, the City of Philadelphia's Zero Fare program is showing strong results. Launched in August 2023, the program aimed to assess how free public transportation would impact residents with lower incomes. Over 24,000 Philadelphians have received Zero Fare Key cards and around 64% of them are actively using the SEPTA system, according to the City of Philadelphia.
"The Zero Fare program is already having “a huge impact” on the lives of Philadelphians and “has been a life-changing program” for many residents", said Nicola Mammes, Director of Zero Fare, as stated by the City of Philadelphia. This initiative has recorded over 4.3 million trips across SEPTA's network, primarily during peak weekday travel windows. An interesting fact, nearly 90% of these trips are via bus and subway.
This initiative provides unlimited rides not only on SEPTA's buses and subways but also on trolleys, Regional Rail, and Access ADA Paratransit service. Furthermore, an analysis reveals that more than half the participants are women, and a similar proportion identify as Black, African American, or of African descent. Mainly, participants fall between 25 and 45 years of age, with the largest group being those aged 25 to 35.
If you have questions or need assistance with a lost, stolen, or damaged Zero Fare Key card, the City of Philadelphia advises contacting them directly at 215-686-4419 or 3-1-1 during office hours or by e-mail at [email protected].
