REGIONAL – The colorful buses that ply the streets and shopping centers of the Merrimack Valley will keep running fare free permanently, the first transit authority in the state to do so.
Originally funded almost three years ago through federal COVID-19 relief funds and sustained using state funding from the Fair Share Amendment, the Merrimack Valley Transit Authority (MeVa) board voted 15-0 with one abstention this month to make the free rides permanent.
“MeVa’s fare-free program has fostered a multitude of operational, environmental, and social benefits,” the board was told as part of a presentation of the business case for keeping the free fare policy. “This is incredible news for the Merrimack Valley and the people who use our service to access all that life has to offer.”
The business case was completed by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission and the firm Stantec.
“Since transportation is the key to everything, the positive impact of fare-free buses has broad reaching impact across all sectors,” the business case concluded.
It cost MeVa 27 cents of every dollar to collect fares on its fixed route buses in 2019 in direct costs. That does not include ancillary costs such as longer time for passengers to board the bus.
In addition, the business case concluded that more people patronized businesses in the Merrimack Valley, which adds sales tax revenue and increases access to jobs. The time that it takes a passenger to board the bus has been cut in half, reducing idling and allowing buses to run more efficiently, the business case states.
As a result, residents are driving less, which reduces emissions, the report stated.
In a survey of passengers, riders reported high satisfaction with the bus service. It has also increased access to medical care and decreased social isolation.
Because of the fare-free program, ridership on MeVa has become more demographically diverse. Half of the riders are Hispanic, and a third of the riders were born outside the U.S. More women (about 63 percent) ride the bus, and riders ages are evenly distributed across working age categories.
One in five MeVa riders earn less than $10,000 a year, while almost 40 percent make less than $25,000. Almost two third makes less than $75,000 a year.
Only 12 percent of riders said they had access to a private vehicle. About half of all riders take MeVa buses nearly every day, and almost 90 percent ride at least once per week.
“Hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents rely on their Regional Transit Authorities to get to and from work, the grocery store, doctor’s appointments and school. We’re proud to be delivering this funding to help RTAs keep their service fare free to save money for riders and encourage more people to use public transportation,” Gov. Maura Healey said.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll called the results of the free fare pilot program incredible. “More riders are saving money by choosing to take public transportation. We’re excited to be able to support the continuation of these programs with full state funding, which will significantly benefit our residents, communities, businesses and economy.”
MEVA launched its two-year pilot program in March of 2022 and extended it with additional funding for another year.
With revenues in a state of flux, MEVA has created a development department to identify and apply for grants from local foundations, including the Barr Foundation, and businesses that benefit from MEVA’s ridership.
MEVA is considering other revenue sources, including advertising on benches along the route and creating a digital QR code system for customers to pay for the ride if they can, Executive Director Noah Berger said in a recent interview.
“Everything is on the table,” Berger said.
