The City Council in releasing its budget Wednesday is calling for free subways and buses for New York City’s poorest residents.
Council leadership announced that an expansion of the city’s Fair Fares program — which, in its current iteration, gives half-off transit fares to any New Yorker making less than 150% the federal poverty line — will be among the body’s main goals in 2026.
The Council is proposing expanding the benefit to cover the entirety of a subway or local bus fare for those eligible, effectively making transit free for New Yorkers below the threshold, a move that echoes calls from transit advocates.
“Fair Fares has been a lifeline for working New Yorkers, providing eligible riders with discounted access to one of our city’s greatest assets: our transit system,” City Council Speaker Julie Menin said in a statement.
“The Council is making a significant Fair Fares expansion among our top priorities in a budget that is fiscally responsible and invests directly in New Yorkers.”
The program is available to any New York City resident bringing in less than 150% of the federal poverty line — including individuals making less than $46,950, or families of four making under $96,450 a year.
An estimated 1.3 million New Yorkers are currently eligible, though only about 35% of them are currently enrolled to receive the discount.
An analysis conducted by the Permanent Citizen’s Advisory Council to the MTA said expanding the benefit to cover the entire fare would cost the city between $275 million and $330 million.
Mayor Mamdani — who made transit affordability a cornerstone of his mayoral campaign, promising specifically to make the MTA’s buses fare-free for all — did not address Fair Fares expansion in his proposed budget earlier this year.
According to the PCAC, over 65% of Fair Fare use last year was on the subway.
