Boston Launches Three-Month Free-Fare Pilot on Busiest MBTA Bus Route

BOSTON — July 22, 2026 — Boston commits $500,000 to a three-month free-fare pilot on MBTA Route 28. Mayor Michelle Wu announced Tuesday at Mattapan Square that the city will partner with the MBTA to waive fares on Route 28 — the system's busiest bus line, carrying nearly 13,000 riders per weekday — from August 29 through November 30. The $500,000 city investment will also fund all-door boarding during the pilot period, a change intended to reduce boarding delays. More than two-thirds of Route 28 riders are classified as low-income by the MBTA's most recent system-wide survey, and the route connects Mattapan, Roxbury, and Dorchester — neighborhoods Wu described as "underserved by the existing rail network." The city will conduct pre-, mid-, and post-pilot rider surveys measuring satisfaction, on-time performance, and financial impact, with results intended to guide potential expansion to other routes. Wu cited a figure from her administration showing Black riders spend 64 more hours per year on bus commutes than white passengers. "I would love to see free buses all throughout the city of Boston," Wu told reporters.