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Ridership on local buses increased by more than 50% after the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority eliminated fares last year, according to a new report.
The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, a nonprofit think tank, found that the number of rides on SRTA buses from July to November 2024 was 56% higher compared to the same period the previous year, when riders had to pay a $1.50 fare.
That’s a gain of 555,878 more rides, the report said.
SRTA buses have been free to ride since January 2024, when the transit authority launched its state-funded “Try Transit” pilot program. The state Legislature later added more funding to keep buses free through the end of this fiscal year in June, using money from the state’s new “Fair Share” tax on incomes over $1 million. Future SRTA fares will depend on the state’s next annual budget.
At an event hosted Tuesday by the YWCA of Southeastern Massachusetts, state representatives said that local advocacy is vital to sustaining free fares.
“The priorities change if enough people in the community demand it,” said state Sen. Mark Montigny.
Free fares should be a long-term program, he said. He added that lawmakers are currently discussing plans to continue funding the program and potentially fund expansions to local bus service to accommodate the increased ridership.
Also Tuesday, Gov. Maura Healey announced a plan to spend more of the “Fair Share” tax on transit in future state budgets, including money for regional transit authorities.
Sunday service started on SRTA’s weekend routes around the time fares were eliminated. That contributed to the increase in ridership, the report found, but it didn’t account for most of the new rides. The number of riders per hour of bus service increased by 42% after buses became free in January last year.
Researchers contrasted SRTA with two nearby transit authorities that didn’t eliminate fares. The Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority’s trips increased by 3.9% during the same time period, and the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority’s trips increased by 4.4%. That’s only a fraction of the 55.5% increase at SRTA.
The report’s findings line up with anecdotal evidence that more people have been riding the bus over the past year. The boost “put some stress on the system,” a SRTA official told The Light last year.
Another added perk of free fares: Buses ran on time more often — buses arrived late 10% of the time from July to September, down from 13% during the same time the previous year. Data showed that drivers weren’t spending as much time idling at stops as they were when riders paid fares.
Researchers suggested that SRTA was able to hire and retain more drivers because eliminating fares also eliminated “unpleasant and sometimes dangerous interactions over fare payment,” making it easier to run the buses on time.
Fares are some of the worst ways to fund public transportation because they put the cost burden on riders, who tend to have low incomes, said Phineas Baxandall, policy director for the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center and the report’s author. The report cited data from 2019 showing that 80% of SRTA’s riders identified as low-income.
SRTA’s ability to provide “last-mile” transportation in New Bedford and Fall River will be critical to the success of South Coast Rail, the commuter rail connection to Boston expected to launch in May, the report said. It pointed to a 2023 consultant study that said SRTA’s current network won’t provide reliable transportation to the MBTA stops. The agency has been preparing plans to expand its service after South Coast Rail is complete.
SRTA was not involved in the creation of the report, other than providing the data, Baxandall said.
In December, state grant funding also allowed SRTA to add new express bus service between New Bedford and Fall River. The trip takes 25 minutes, less than half the time of the existing intercity route, which stops in Dartmouth. The buses run hourly every day of the week, with buses from 6:15 a.m. through 10:10 p.m. on weekdays and 8:15 a.m. through 8:10 p.m. on weekends.
Email Grace Ferguson at gferguson@newbedfordlight.org
Thank you city of New Bedford for ur free bus service
As a New Bedford resident that takes the train to work, I agree with the SRTRA report finding that “In its current state, the existing SRTA bus network will not provide a reliable, high-quality connection to SCR [South Coast Rail].” New Bedford needs a multi-modal transportation hub connecting rail, bus, ferry, and the planned bike path, not the suburbs-style train platform it’s currently getting. In addition to making car-free commutes possible, moving bus station to Whale’s Tooth would also solve the problem of the loitering around the train station that has doomed many a small business that has attempted to start nearby. Those unable/unwilling to walk the short distance from the train station to downtown would still benefit from frequent and free bus service. This is not that different from the distance/connections between South Station and Boston’s downtown.
Free bus fares make so much sense. It is an immense help to low income people who have difficulty affording cars and the associated insurance and repairs. What an asset for anyone who needs or wants to run errands and handle daily tasks without a car. I may not use the bus very much, but I don’t mind paying a little more in taxes to make it available to those who do want to use it. I look forward to the day our busses are electric, quiet, and a lot more energy efficient than the existing fleet.