Free buses start on Sunday

The long-awaited free bus pilot program is finally set to start in New York City. On Sept. 24, riders on five already selected bus routes – one for each borough – won’t have to pay the fare for a period of at least six months. State lawmakers approved the program as part of the state budget this year, along with additional funding to increase subway frequency for certain lines. 

Transit advocates hope that data gathered from the pilot will show it is both popular and financially feasible in order to expand free service to all public buses in the city. It’s one tenet of the Fix the MTA policy package championed by Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris to raise taxes on the wealthy in order to expand Metropolitan Transportation Authority Services. In addition to free buses, the plan calls for six-minute service and a freeze on subway fares.

MTA officials announced the five bus routes chosen for the pilot earlier in the summer and Gov. Kathy Hochul promised it would begin in late September. But the specific start date had not previously been announced. As commuters still get used to the new $2.90 fare, riders of the Q4 LCL/ LTD in Queens, B60 in Brooklyn, M116 in Manhattan, S46/96 in Staten Island and Bx18A/B in the Bronx won’t have to sweat the price hike yet. But lawmakers and officials have urged all other straphangers to continue paying.