First-of-its-kind program funded by Governor Healey’s FY24 and FY25 budgets officially launches tomorrow

Boston - On September 3, 2024, Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng, ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler, and Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) Chief Operating Officer Michael Cole joined community leaders, elected officials, advocates, and stakeholders at Malden Center Station on the Orange Line in Malden to celebrate the launch of expanded access to reduced fares for income-eligible riders, which begins tomorrow, September 4, 2024. 

“We are thrilled to launch the Income-Eligible Reduced Fares Program, which will increase access to the T’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 Governor Maura Healey. “General Manager 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 T 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 T, we need to make sure it’s affordable. This new program is an important addition to the work that the T has been doing to improve operations across the system,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Congratulations to General Manager Eng and his team for their work to launch this transformative program.”

A meaningful improvement for fare equity, 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% off on all MBTA buses, subway, Commuter Rail, ferries and paratransit (The RIDE) travel. This unlocks affordability for residents across the MBTA service area, including in the Gateway Cities. This 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 Transportation 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.”?

“One of Malden’s greatest strengths is public transit, and it just got stronger thanks to the Healey-Driscoll Administration expanding the low-fare program to include eligible riders who are aged 26-64 with reduced fares of approximately 50 percent,” said Malden Mayor Gary Christenson. “For many of our residents who depend on public transit in their daily lives this new initiative will create new opportunities such as furthering their education, going to work, or having more disposable income for their groceries and housing needs. Like many new initiatives, this one has been in the works for the last decade, but it wasn’t until the Healey-Driscoll Administration not only prioritized it but allocated sufficient funding has it become a reality. Thank you to them and everyone involved with this great announcement!”

The online application is simple and can be completed in English, Spanish, Portuguese, simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Haitian-Creole, or Vietnamese. The launch also includes the availability of in-person support at five locations around the MBTA service area in partnership with Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) and the Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP) network. An additional 31 locations will become available for service over fall 2024. Riders can apply online at mbta.com/income-eligible.?

Riders with low income will be able to apply in multiple languages online at mbta.com/income-eligible and at five in-person locations provided by ABCD and 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 (SNAP), Transitional Assistance for Families and Dependent Children (TAFDC), Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled & Children (EAEDC), 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 Action for Boston Community Development 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 launching tomorrow, 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 discontinued on October 31.?

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.??

“The Department of Transitional Assistance is thrilled that, after years of planning and preparation, the Income-Eligible Reduced Fares Program has come to fruition under the Healey-Driscoll administration,” said DTA Chief Operating Officer Michael Cole. “Affordable public transportation is crucial for people with low incomes, as it provides essential access to employment, education, and other services. Public transit enables equity through mobility and social inclusion by reducing isolation and promoting community engagement. This program will have a profoundly positive impact on DTA clients’ lives.”

“Registry of Motor Vehicles staff have been proud to work with the MBTA, community and other partners to support the income eligible reduced fare program which is launching on September 4,” said Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie.  “The creation of income-eligible reduced fares is a critical step toward advancing the Healey-Driscoll administration’s equity goals and making the progress necessary to give everyone easier access to public transportation.” 

“Omicron is honored to partner with MBTA to enhance ridership through the income-eligible reduced fare program,” said Audra Chadwell, Vice President of Operations, Omicron Technologies. “We take pride in expanding initiatives vital to meeting the national demand for affordable fares. Our commitment involves accelerating CharlieCard applications, ensuring quick access for customers and assisting in boosting rider numbers. We are excited to be an integral part in supporting this community.” 

“I’m proud of the Legislature’s support for the MBTA’s Income-Eligible Reduced Fare Program, which will help to increase access to public transportation services for commuters across the Commonwealth,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “The FY25 budget includes significant investments to provide for a safer and more reliable public transportation system.” 

“Getting more people on public transit means expanding access to economic mobility and reducing our carbon footprint,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “I’m thrilled to see the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the MBTA swiftly implement such an important provision of the Legislature’s budget, and take a meaningful step towards a more affordable, equitable, and competitive Commonwealth.”

The MBTA is committed to providing reliable, accessible transportation to all and is implementing this new, expanded reduced-fare eligibility that will make all MBTA transportation modes available and affordable to income-eligible individuals.?

For more information, visit mbta.com/income-eligible??

Statements of Support:

State Senator Jason Lewis (D-Middlesex):

“This is another fantastic accomplishment made possible by new revenue from the Fair Share Amendment. This reduced fare program will make traveling around greater Boston more accessible and affordable. We will continue to take steps to make the cost of living more affordable for all in the Commonwealth.”

State Representative Paul Donato (D-Medford): 

“The launch of the reduced fare program for eligible MBTA riders marks a historic step in making public transportation more affordable and accessible for all that live in the Commonwealth. This program will not only assist low-income riders, but it will also promote a greater equity in our public transportation system. It will further ensure that all residents will have the opportunity to travel the state using the MBTA. Thank you to Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, General Manager Eng and Secretary Tibbits-Nutt.”

State Representative Steven Ultrino (D-Malden):

“This expansion to the MBTA’s reduced fare program takes us another step closer to fare equity and will greatly improve access to public transit for low-income riders across our Commonwealth, especially in Gateway Cities. I am also excited to witness the MBTA’s collaboration with ABCD, a community organization that has been a longtime community partner in Malden. Working with ABCD and MASSCAP physical locations, this program ensures that all eligible riders can access affordable and reliable public transit. Thank you again Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, General Manager Eng, and Secretary Tibbits-Nutt for highlighting this initiative on the ground in Malden today!”

State Representative Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose):

"I am excited to see the implementation of the MBTA's income-eligible reduced fare program. I proudly joined the legislature in supporting this program through our appropriation to the MBTA's operating budget and through revenue generated from the Fair Share Amendment. With public transportation so critical for the 32nd Middlesex District, this greater access to ridership will empower families to access public transit, make our communities healthier, and aid the Commonwealth in meeting state climate goals."

State Representative Adrian Madaro (D-Suffolk):

“Workers and families across the Commonwealth deserve to commute to their jobs in an affordable, safe, and timely manner. I am thrilled to have worked with the Legislature, the MBTA, and transit advocates to make this program a reality.”

Jarred Johnson, Executive Director, TransitMatters:  

“I’m excited to see the Healey Administration take this monumental step forward to expand access for low-income MBTA riders across the region. This hard-fought victory is the result of a decade of advocacy at countless meetings. We're particularly excited that this fare will apply to the Commuter Rail, expanding access in Gateway Cities and suburban communities, ensuring that the benefits of transitioning to Regional Rail are felt by all.”  

Joe Diamond, Executive Director, the Massachusetts Association for Community Action:

“We are grateful to the Governor, the Secretary and the General Manager for building on the MBTA’s leadership in recognizing and supporting the critical role that access to public transportation can play in the lives of people living with low incomes.The reduced fare program is a very significant anti poverty program that, when combined with other efforts, can widen the road to job training and jobs for thousands of working families in the MBTA service area.”

Mela Bush, Co Chair, Fairmount Indigo Transit Coalition:

“To be number one is not always the best thing. We’re in the top percentile of the most expensive cities to live in. Rents are above $2,000 for very small units, food costs have soared, utility costs are through the roof. The low-income means-tested fares pass is coming right at the best of times. Those who have lower means need to be able to access public transportation to go to all of the places that they need to get to. We appreciate the MBTA’s implementation of the low-income discounted fare pass – thank you!”