Bill > H3403

This bill establishes a pilot program for fare-free buses within the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and all Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) operating in Massachusetts. The MBTA program will run for at least one year and will include no less than 10 priority bus routes and 10 routes with higher than average ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The RTA program will also run for at least one year and will include at least one route with higher than average ridership during the same period. The bill requires the creation of advisory groups to oversee the pilots, set goals and metrics, and evaluate the impacts on ridership, equity, access to public transportation, system efficiency, and other factors. The pilots are set to commence no later than December 31, 2021, and the advisory groups will provide regular progress reports and a final evaluation at the conclusion of the pilots.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H3403