Elected officials and community advocates are calling for the expansion of the Fare Free Bus pilot program that started back in September.
Currently there’s one free bus in each borough. Residents are big fans of how it provides relief on their wallet. Officials say ridership has increased since the program started.
"It makes the commute easier, and from there people are more polite,” said bus operator George Roper, who drives the fare-free B60 bus.
Elected leaders are asking for $90 million for the Get Congestion Pricing Right plan that would expand the program and help make Metropolitan Transportation Authority service more reliable. They want to use $45 million for overall services to improve commutes.
"We know that some of our most vulnerable people are getting shut out of the transportation that they rely on, and buses are the most accessible form of transportation that we have,” said Assembly Member Emily Gallagher.
Elected officials and advocates say they’ll continue to fight to ensure that some of the state funding goes toward servicing MTA buses and expanding the program.