MA: MeVa question: Drop in ridership tied to ICE jitters or winter weather?

How to meet the moment at a time when aggressive enforcement of immigration laws is a stated goal of the Trump Administration?

MeVa bus transit officials and board members posed this question at a regular meeting late this week.

It generated wide and delicate discussion but no definitive answers, though a general consensus emerged around a desire to craft an appropriate response to any aggressive enforcement actions, a response that is legal and respects individual rights.

Later, a sampling of riders’ opinions at the McGovern Transportation Center, Friday in Lawrence, and a check of Lawrence High School attendance records did not indicate widespread worry about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement roundups of people living in Lawrence in violation of immigration laws.

The meet-the-moment question arose Thursday at MeVa headquarters in response to a nearly 22% drop in the latest bus ridership numbers.

Rides throughout the system, from Lowell to Newburyport, are fare free.

MeVa transit head Noah Berger told representatives from the 14 towns and cities served by the regional transit authority that after 20 months of record growth in bus passengers — on track to carry 3.1 million riders for Fiscal ‘25, ending June 30, an all-time high —ridership dove 21.6% in February over the previous February’s numbers.

While this February’s cold weather accounts for at least some reduction in passenger numbers, a deeper dive into the figures appears to reveal a more ominous reason for the drop, Berger said.

Ridership on Haverhill and coastal routes actually grew by almost 7% in February 2025 compared to February 2024; but passengers on routes in Lawrence, where the bulk of MeVa ridership and many immigrant families live, plummeted 28.6% during that same period.

Meanwhile, paratransit rides on mini-buses, for which people must register by name to be picked up and transported to their designated locations, showed no dip in ridership, unlike the regular buses on which people, remaining anonymous, board at will.

Berger hopes the February ridership decline is a blip, a statistical aberration, but he and other MeVa officials say they have heard in discussions with other local service providers that many people in Lawrence are living in fear for their futures.

“And if you’re afraid to leave your home, you’re afraid to get on the bus to get you to where you’re afraid to go,” Berger said.

In addition, Berger said transit authorities that carry passengers in other Massachusetts gateway cities — with large immigrant populations — share the same worries felt by MeVa officials.

Christina Minicucci, MeVa development director and a former state representative, said MeVa has had related conversations with the Attorney General’s office and the ACLU going back to mid and late January.

MeVa Lawrence representative Myra Ortiz discussed possible responses MeVa might pursue to put riders and even drivers at ease.

These include sharing information on bus postings or inviting other organizations with expertise to distribute information to riders and drivers about the laws governing enforcement actions.

“So people, overall, know their rights,” she said.

The advisory board’s chairwoman Kassandra Gove, who represents Amesbury, where she is the mayor, wondered whether MeVa might partner with an advocacy group to distribute information that explains and advises what to say or not say.

That way a family member or friend who rides the bus could share the information with those who might be hesitant to use public transportation for fear of arrest or detention.

The chairwoman also wondered whether MeVa might arrange for an adviser grounded in the topic to explain to bus drivers what they can and can’t do.

Berger urged caution to avoid making the transit authority a target for enforcement actions.

“It’s a trade-off, you don’t want to make matters worse, call attention to something …, “ Berger said.

Ortiz said the moment was at hand to partner with others in the interest of giving bus riders and drivers peace of mind.

“I know you don’t want to draw attention, I heard that before, but the moment is here,” Ortiz said.

Fears of aggressive enforcement is a topic on residents’ and families’ minds in many communities and school districts, according to Lawrence schools.

“We addressed it directly with families, updated existing policy to ensure it aligned with the most recent state guidance (very minor changes), and closely monitored attendance,” said Christopher Markuns, spokesman for Lawrence schools.

At Lawrence High School, attendance in February was slightly higher than in February 2024.

The attendance was the same as it was in January of this year and a little higher than it was in November.

Attendance is more or less the same district-wide, with the typical overall slight dip for the cold weather months, consistent with viral/flu season, holidays and weather, Markuns said.

Over at the McGovern Transportation Center on Merrimack Street the station alternated between a flurry of activity and being largely empty on Friday afternoon.

Several riders and one employee said they saw no evidence nor did they feel that people are fearful of leaving their homes.

One longtime regular rider, who only wanted to give her first name, Ruth, said the February drop off in ridership could be either due to the cold weather or jitters about immigration enforcement.

Berger told the board these times are unchartered waters and its best to navigate with care and reason.

“We are working hard to try to figure out how best to address this situation,” he said.

“We always aim to be proactive but to be measured and to be smart about how we act and make sure we are best advocating for the communities we serve.”

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