WORCESTER, Mass. – Advocates are pushing for free fares to continue on Worcester Regional Transit Authority buses. The Zero Fare Worcester Coalition hosted a gathering in the city on Tuesday.

The fourth year of the fare-free program will wrap up in about two months, and they say a fifth is needed.

Coalition members said since the WRTA began offering the free bus service in 2020, ridership has seen a significant increase, especially when compared to other regional transit authorities. Figures from the WRTA back up the claims. According to its advisory board, fixed-route ridership has gone from 2.1 million riders in 2021 to nearly four million in 2023. The numbers are much higher than their pre-pandemic levels.

"It benefits our residents who are trying to get to work, get to  appointments," said state Senator Robyn Kennedy. "It benefits our employers that are trying to build back their workforce. It benefits our economy as we're helping people move about the city and around the region to be able to spend money. And it benefits our environment. Getting more people out of their cars onto buses."

Members of the coalition broke down figures they gathered in a pool on the topic.

"Forty-nine percent of health care appointments, followed by shopping, errands and then work at 38%," said coalition member Asa Saltzberg. "You know, folks are using that for really important things. And I think that this also shows how intrinsically tied, you know, access to health care is to your access to transportation."

"I think a major piece of that, frankly, has been the result of the, you know, the Fair Shair Amendment," said state Rep. Jim O'Day. "Without having had those additional 4%, those that make over $1,000,000, I think it would be less likely for us to be able to have this kind of discussion."

While the WRTA says they're actively pursuing grant opportunities to fund the free-fare service, its initial budget for next year proposes the resumption of fare collection.

The WRTA is predicting a slight jump in ridership for 2025, along with increasing operating costs. 

With the zero-fares program currently scheduled to expire in June, the advisory committee is expected to vote on the matter in the coming weeks.