EVALUATING FARE-FREE TRANSIT POLICIES ON AGENCIES’ RIDERSHIP, SECURITY AND SAFETY LEVELS
Research Poster Engineering 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Jorge Diaz Gutierrez
Exhibition Number 55
Abstract
Transit agencies must balance their limited funding while remaining as crucial lifelines for countless vulnerable users. This balance can be achieved by strategically directing resources toward projects with the potential to impact lives profoundly. One such policy with transformative potential is fare-free transit (FFT). However, despite increasing advocacy, the lack of thorough evaluation in the U.S. has raised concerns about whether FFT projects are effective and convenient. This research aims to evaluate FFT policies’ impacts in the United States, providing evidence for informed policy decisions and dispelling controversies with empirical data. We evaluate the impacts of FFT policies on ridership, security levels, and safety perceptions. Our research provides scientific evidence to transit agencies and officials so they can make informed decisions that will benefit current and future transit users in the U.S.
Importance
Fare Free Transit projects are scarce in the U.S. This results in a lack of thorough evaluation of their policy effects in various areas, such as the effects on ridership, accessibility, equity, and congestion. Existing analyses are limited to exploratory data analysis, anecdotal observations, and opinion surveys. Consequently, there is considerable controversy surrounding the policy’s effectiveness and convenience, with compelling arguments for and against it. Nonetheless, most of these arguments lack scientific evidence and have not been tested in the U.S. This research is the first in the country to systematically assess the impacts of FFT, targeting misconceptions about the policy and providing decision-makers with the data needed to make informed policy choices.
DEI Statement
Transit plays a key role in promoting accessibility and equity, particularly for low-income individuals who rely on it for daily activities. Particularly, Fare-Free Transit (FFT) policies have gained attention as a potential solution to reduce financial barriers for underserved communities. However, it remains unclear whether FFT is impactful on people’s lives or if additional policies are better at enhancing transit access and equity. This research examines FFT’s impact through a survey assessing changes in transit usage, service quality perceptions, and feelings of safety. Additionally, it evaluates FFT’s role in improving job, shopping, and healthcare accessibility and compares the policy impacts on people against other possible policies that can advance equity and inclusion.