Worcester, MA, case for fare-free public transit

Public transportation is treated differently. The Worcester Regional Transit Authority charges most adults $1.75 per trip to board the bus, a disincentive to make use of what could be a cornerstone of the region’s transportation network. Ridership is dropping, declining 23 percent between 2016—before the latest fare hike—and 2018. Last year had the fewest passenger trips since a driver strike in 2005, and the lowest in a non-strike year since tracking began in 1991.

http://www.wrrb.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/WRRB-FareFree-Transit-Report.pdf