Article Highlights

Key Takeaway:

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pledge to offer zero-fares on board NYC buses has reopened the debate about free fares for transit riders. But some agencies, including KCATA in Kansas City, Mo., are finding they can’t take the revenue hit from giving all passengers free rides.

Key Data:

• Exclusive table: Selected list of U.S. cities offering free fares.

Exclusive table: Pros and cons of zero-fares.

Organizations Mentioned:

• MTA (New York)
• KCATA (Kansas City, Mo.)
• INIT
• ICT (Iowa City)
• Genfare
• 28 agencies mentioned on table

Somewhere in the bowels of New York’s City Hall, a tiger team is figuring out how to fulfill the mayor’s campaign promise of zero-fare buses.

The question is, have city officials, including Zohran Mamdani, the newly minted mayor, learned the lessons of those who went before them, most notably, KCATA, the transit agency serving Kansas City, Mo.

Subscription Required

This premium content is only available to subscribers

Article has about2015words.

To keep reading, subscribe today

Get access to premium content from the only global publication devoted exclusively to mobility payments by subscribing today to the most authoritative source for news and analysis in the industry.

Already a member? Log in here