State lawmakers are turning up the pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul to back a revived fare-free bus pilot in New York City as Albany hammers out the next state budget. Supporters say a smaller, tightly focused test could show whether free rides help current riders, attract more trips, and rebuild transit usage without blowing a hole in the MTA’s finances.
Albany’s Scaled-Down Pitch
Democratic leaders in the Legislature are now floating a narrower proposal in hopes of winning Hochul’s sign-off. The Assembly’s one-house budget sets aside $15 million for a new pilot that would make one route in each borough fare-free, according to Streetsblog Empire State. Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris has indicated he would like to grow the program if the money is there and has talked about possibly expanding it to as many as three routes per borough.
What the MTA Evaluation Found
The MTA’s one-year evaluation of the 2023-24 pilot reported major jumps in boardings on the five fare-free routes, with ridership about 30% higher during school months and roughly 40% higher in the summer. Most of those extra trips, however, came from people who were already bus riders rather than brand-new users, according to the MTA. The agency put the pilot’s foregone fare revenue and related costs at roughly $16.5 million and found mixed effects on speeds and dwell times on the affected lines, including the B60, Bx18, M116, Q4, and S46/S96.
Hochul Remains Cautious
Hochul has repeatedly warned that taking away fare revenue without a durable funding plan would be risky, arguing that a broad removal of bus fares "would cost hundreds of millions or more." She has also stressed that the concept is still in play, saying the idea is not dead and that "it’s not a ‘no,’ it’s just ‘not right now,’" leaving the door cracked open for a smaller trial, as reported by Gothamist.
Supporters Want a Bigger Test, Watchdogs Urge Targeting
Transit advocates point to the pilot’s ridership gains as proof that demand is there, and some lawmakers in Albany are pushing to scale up the experiment. Backers say a larger test could show whether free buses belong in a broader affordability package for riders who are already feeling squeezed.
Fiscal watchdogs are far more wary, arguing that the cost of free service ultimately lands on taxpayers and warning against open-ended commitments. They have urged officials to prioritize more targeted programs, with Ana Champeny writing that "riders of public transit should pay for part of the cost of the service," according to the Citizens Budget Commission.
What Comes Next
The fate of any renewed pilot is now tangled up in final state budget talks, where Hochul and legislators are still wrestling over revenue and spending priorities. The governor and legislative leaders recently met to keep negotiations going, and some insiders say a full budget deal could slip past the April 1 deadline, according to Gothamist.
If the bus pilot comes back, it is likely to roll out in careful stages that try to balance higher ridership with budget realities. In the end, Albany’s number-crunching, and the decision over who picks up the tab, will determine whether fare-free buses stay an experiment or become a lasting part of city transit policy.
