The City of Philadelphia’s FY 2027 budget allocated $25 million for the Zero Fare program in Mayor Parker’s budget. The funding will allow the service to continue for 12 months, which means advocates will need to lobby again for the program in the next budget.
“Transit riders should not have to balance paying for food, medical care, and transit fare,” said Stephen Bronskill, manager of the Transit Forward Philadelphia Coalition. “This budget moves us in the right direction.”
The program is designed to offer relief to low-income riders and promote equitable growth across the city. When it was proposed in 2023, City Council approved $62 million for the FY 2024 budget to develop and implement the pilot program. At that time, 39% of Philadelphia residents in poverty cited transportation as their biggest obstacle to finding and sustaining employment. 34,000 eligible residents were auto-enrolled and received their passes directly in the mail.
“Philadelphia is full of these invisible barriers,” says local organizer Jamir Griffin. “Parents trying to reach childcare. Students trying to get across the city after school closures. Workers turning down promotions because commuting would cost too much.” Griffin says that Zero Fare and programs like it improve quality of life and economic stability for riders. “This program recognizes something organizers have known for years. Mobility is opportunity.”
I filled out my first one and never got my pass for the year
This is good but also myopic, and possibly detrimental when looking at the big picture. You have to treat the whole system not just one part. Doing so leads to fares that those in between the rich and those getting free fares, may also find difficult to afford.
A vision of affordable frequent and reliable public transportation for everyone what we need. Not piecewise bandaids that don’t take into account the health and longevity of the whole system.
I will like to have a zero fare for 12 months free