POLITICSGOTHAMIST
Mamdani hasn't made NYC's buses free. Riders stopped paying anyway.
The mayor's 2025 campaign pledge to make NYC buses free has not been implemented, but riders have stopped paying fares, leading to increased fare evasion. MTA Chair Janno Lieber attributes the rise in fare evasion to this pledge.
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Adjacent reporting
- NYC's buses aren't free, but they would speed up under new plan by Mamdani, MTA
- MTA boss blames Mamdani’s ‘free bus’ crusade as paid ridership drops a whopping 7.7%
- MTA and Mamdani tout a new day for NYC buses after Eric Adams stalled projects
- Mamdani says he’s still committed to fast and free buses, despite plan that omits the free part
- City that inspired Mamdani’s free NYC bus plan is bringing back fares — after it ran out of money