DC poised to make bus service free throughout district starting in July
Cami Mondeaux
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Commuters in Washington, D.C., can expect to see free bus service throughout the district as soon as next summer, thanks to a bill that passed through the city council earlier this week with unanimous support.
Lawmakers passed the Metro for D.C. bill during the council’s final meeting of the year on Tuesday, approving a number of changes to help boost the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority as the agency grapples with revenue losses due to fare evasion. The vote marks a significant change for the district, making it the first major city in the country to offer free bus service for all its residents.
DC LAWMAKERS PROPOSE FREE BUS SERVICE THROUGHOUT DISTRICT AS METRO BATTLES FARE EVASION
“Today’s vote on this transformational bill makes the District a national leader in the future of public transit,” said Councilmember Charles Allen, who initially introduced the legislation. “There doesn’t have to be a trade-off between affordability and service. This bill balances making transit a public good with ensuring world-class service continues to return to our metro system. It has the support and excitement of District residents, District businesses, and the union representing transit workers. WMATA has hailed it as a ‘big, bold concept.’ People will be able to start boarding buses fare-free as soon as next summer. It’s going to make a major difference in people’s lives almost immediately and reinvest those tax dollars right back in the monthly budget for families who depend on the bus.”
The measure to provide free bus service is just one measure of the Metro for DC Bill, which was introduced in mid-September. As part of making its bus service more accessible, the legislation will also expand its schedule to provide overnight service on 12 major bus lines.
Additionally, the bill will provide a $100 monthly subsidy to district residents to go toward transportation costs, including the Metrorail and WMATA buses located outside the district. That provision is expected to take effect in 2024.
The bill now heads to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s desk for her signature, although it’s unclear whether she plans to sign the legislation.
“Free transit sounds great, but Metro is part of a compact,” Bowser said in early December. “And we are a one-third payer in that compact. So if you ask me about free bus, I think, you know, we’re going to be paying, and Maryland and Virginia need to be paying.”
The Metro for DC bill was first introduced nearly three years ago, but the legislation stalled as the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the number of riders using public transportation.
“Now that we’re recovering from the pandemic, it’s clear this would be a win for riders, a win for DC’s businesses, and a win for WMATA,” Allen said earlier this month. “Making the bus fare free for all of DC is the type of transformational change that we can lead, with a focus on equity and economic recovery. It’ll make a difference keeping buses moving faster on our streets and in the monthly budgets of thousands of DC families.”
The free bus service would be funded through emergency legislation that provides a steady stream of revenue to WMATA, covering the agency’s transportation costs, according to the council members. Those funds include approximately $32 million to offer free bus rides and an additional $8.5 million to extend into overnight service.
WMATA has been cracking down on citywide fare evasion that has contributed to significant revenue losses for the agency, causing a $185 million shortfall in next year’s budget. Metro relies on fare revenue to maintain its bus and rail service, and the agency has faced threats from regional leaders to withhold subsidies if WMATA doesn’t address its fare evasion problem.
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The agency responded by issuing hefty fines to riders who are caught trying to ride without paying, ticketing riders up to $50 in Washington locations and up to $100 for those in Virginia and Maryland. If the legislation passes, it could help with this funding dilemma, WMATA officials say.
“We appreciate the DC Council’s leadership and commitment to making transit more accessible for our customers,” a spokesperson for the agency told the Washington Examiner. “These are big, bold concepts that will encourage ridership throughout the region. We look forward to working with the council and the mayor on this legislation as it moves forward.”