Overview
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his “fast and free” pledge includes the city’s express buses, which carry about 60,000 daily riders across 80 routes and charge $7.25 per trip.
- The MTA pegs the annual cost of fare-free buses at about $1 billion, while the mayor cites roughly $700 million in lost revenue, with costs potentially rising if service must expand to meet demand.
- The New York City Comptroller reports the administration underbudgeted MTA subsidies by about $621 million for fiscal year 2027, even as the mayor maintains his fare-free push.
- Some express bus riders say reliability and fewer cancellations matter more than eliminating fares, though others argue free service would open access for people priced out today.
- The NYU Marron Institute’s “A Better Billion” argues long-term subway expansion—12 projects adding 64 stations over 40 years—could unlock more than 160,000 homes and deliver bigger affordability gains than free buses.