Recent Streetsblog MASS posts about Fare policy

Does A Fare-Free 28 Also Need to Pay For A Free RIDE?

By Christian MilNeil | Jun 16, 2021 | 1 Comment

“Giving primarily white and wealthy transit riders a free trip, while forcing primarily Black and low income riders to jump through hoops to access similar fare-free service, is exactly what structural racism looks like," says Stacy Thompson, executive director of the LivableStreets Alliance.

A bus rider pays their fare with their phone during a test of the T's new fare system on an MBTA bus in downtown Boston in January 2021.

‘Do Not Track’ Report Offers Privacy Guidance for the T’s New Fare System

By Christian MilNeil | Mar 24, 2021 | No Comments

The MBTA’s new fare payment system will potentially collect a lot more personal data from riders and their cellphones, and a new report offers advice for how riders can protect their privacy.

A derailed Red Line car blocks the tracks at the JFK/UMass station on June 11, 2019. Photo courtesy of the Boston Fire Department.

Higher Fares Take Effect, and Elected Officials Respond With a ‘Boston T Party’

By Christian MilNeil | Jul 1, 2019 | No Comments

A fare increase for most MBTA subway and commuter rail tickets takes effect today, but dozens of local elected officials and activists are responding with a “Boston T Party” during this morning’s commute. The higher prices take effect nearly three weeks after a Red Line train went off the rails at the JFK/UMass station and […]

A CharlieCard on top of stacked dollar bills

MIT Study: High Fares Limit Low-Income Households’ Mobility

By Christian MilNeil | Jun 10, 2019 | 4 Comments

A team of MIT researchers today announced the results of a study that concluded that a discounted transit fare for low-income households could offer significant benefits to those households without necessarily contributing to peak-hour crowding in the MBTA system. In a new whitepaper, “How Low-income Transit Riders in Boston Respond to Discounted Fares: A Randomized […]

A WRTA bus in front of City Hall in downtown Worcester. Courtesy of WRTA.

Worcester’s Transit Agency Considers Ditching the Farebox

By Christian MilNeil | Jun 3, 2019 | 4 Comments

Fares contribute a relatively small portion of Worcester's transit budget, so going fare-free would be a low-cost way to attract many more riders, argues a local public policy research group.