Boston Launches Two-Year Free Fare Pilot on Three MBTA Bus Routes Starting March

BOSTON — July 19, 2026 — Boston makes Routes 23, 28, and 29 fare-free for two years starting March 1. Mayor Michelle Wu announced the expansion at a Grove Hall plaza Monday, building on a six-month fare-free pilot on Route 28 launched under former Mayor Kim Janey. Chief of Streets Yasha Franklin-Hodge said the Route 28 pilot produced a 20 percent reduction in boarding times and called the new two-year program one of the longest-running fare-free bus pilots in the country. MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak confirmed the T committed $5 million two weeks prior toward a dedicated bus lane on Blue Hill Avenue and separate funding to begin design of a rebuilt Arborway yard expanding from 119 to 200 zero-emission electric buses. The city is using federal pandemic relief funds to cover forgone fares, with statewide fare-free bus service estimated at just over $60 million annually. Mella Miles of Alternatives for Community and Environment cited a Livable Streets Alliance study finding Black residents spend 64 more hours per year on public transit than white residents, calling free fares "a justice component" that also eliminates racially disparate fare-evasion enforcement.