On Sept. 3, members of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) joined community leaders, elected officials, advocates and stakeholders at Malden Center Station on the Orange Line in Malden, Mass., to celebrate the launch of expanded access to reduced fares for income-eligible riders, which began Sept. 4.
“We are thrilled to launch the Income-Eligible Reduced Fares Program, which will increase access to the MBTA’s buses, subways, commuter rail, ferries and paratransit for riders across the state. We’re putting $720 back in the pockets of each daily rider who uses this program,” said Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey. “General Manager [Phil] Eng and his team at the MBTA have been making great progress to improve safety and reliability across the system and with the launch of this new program, we are making it more affordable for Massachusetts residents to ride the MBTA as well. We’re grateful to the Legislature and advocates for their partnership to make this possible and encourage all eligible riders to sign up today.”
“If we want to encourage more residents to leave their cars behind and ride the MBTA, we need to make sure it’s affordable. This new program is an important addition to the work the MBTA has been doing to improve operations across the system,” said Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “Congratulations to General Manager Eng and his team for their work to launch this transformative program.”
The new program provides riders who are aged 18-64 and have low-income with reduced one-way and round-trip fares of approximately 50 percent off on all MBTA buses, subway, Commuter Rail, ferries and paratransit (the RIDE) travel. The program unlocks affordability for residents across the MBTA service area, including in the Gateway Cities. The expansion will be the first reduced fare program to include the RIDE. As part of this change, senior users of the RIDE will also be eligible for half-priced fares on both Standard and Premium RIDE trips.
“Equity in transportation is vital and income-eligible reduced fares mean we are supporting increased mobility access for all,” said MassDOT Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to equity and the MBTA and MassDOT are going to continue to be proactive in pursuing initiatives that help ensure no one in this state feels left behind and all have the means to get to where they need to go.”
“This is a proud moment for the MBTA as we make transit more affordable. Under the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the advocacy of Secretary Tibbits-Nutt, income eligible reduced fares are now a reality across all of our modes of travel,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “The governor and the Legislature included essential funding in our budget to implement this program and with the approval of our board, and the participation of numerous partners at the EOHHS, the RMV, ABCD, MASSCAP and Omicron Technology Solutions, this program will benefit those that need it the most. On behalf of the many advocates who have championed this initiative, this is a giant step that allows the public we serve and those that rely on mass transportation an opportunity to use it, improving quality of life, boosting economic mobility and connecting people and communities.”
Riders with-low income will be able to apply in multiple languages online and at five in-person locations provided by Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) and Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP) around the MBTA service area. Program participants can demonstrate eligibility via existing enrollment in programs with a cutoff of 200 percent of the federal poverty level (or lower), including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Transitional Assistance for Families and Dependent Children, Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled & Children, MassHealth CarePlus, MassHealth Family Assistance, MassHealth Limited, MassHealth Standard and MASSGrant.
“Partnering with the MBTA to support access to the Income-Eligible Reduced Fare Program is an extension of ABCD’s mission and everyday work in the community – offering local and in person programming at our neighborhood sites to under resourced residents of Greater Boston and the Mystic Valley,” said President and CEO of ABCD Sharon Scott-Chandler. “Residents who qualify for the Reduced Fare Program are our community members– many of whom may already be receiving the other services we deliver, including financial assistance for fuel bills, free tax help, Head Start early education, workforce development programs and many others. This access to more affordable transportation is another critical means by which people can improve their economic mobility.”
As part of the program launch, RIDE customers enrolled in the Senior or income-eligible reduced fare programs will also be able to use an online form to link their reduced fare eligibility to their RIDE accounts and receive a discounted rate on Standard or Premium RIDE trips. Additionally, young people with low-income already enrolled in the Youth Pass will be guided to enroll in the new program, with the Youth Pass program discontinuing on Oct. 31.
MassDOT notes that according to prior research, riders with low-income are expected to take 30 percent more trips with a reduced fare, significantly increasing mobility while saving on transportation costs. More than 60,000 riders are expected to qualify for and enroll in the program, which is expected to result in up to 8 million more trips per year.
The initiative is thanks to the collaboration of multiple partners across the Commonwealth with the MBTA, including the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) in allowing riders to demonstrate eligibility through existing EOHHS programs; the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in allowing riders to offer proof of identity through an RMV ID; ABCD and the MASSCAP Network in providing in-person support and Omicron Technology Solutions in providing additional application reviews.
