Miranda Neubauer
News@Queensledger.com
A new coalition led by transit advocacy group Riders Alliance gathered in front of City Hall on Wednesday February 4th demanding an expansion of and easier access to the Fair Fares program, which offers a 50 percent transit fare reduction . The advocates had gathered on the occasion of Transit Equity Day in memory of Rosa Parks and especially emphasized how better transit access overall was crucial for immigrants and people with disabilities.
In 2025, eligibility for the program was expanded from 120 percent of the federal poverty level to 145 percent through $20 million in city funding. The advocates are calling for an expansion to New Yorkers at or below 150 percent or 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
“We are looking to make sure that New Yorkers who are above minimum wage … folks who are working full-time, part-time, qualify,” said Dana Dennis, a senior organizer for Riders Aliance.
“Currently, many New Yorkers qualify for the Fair Fares program but don’t know about it and coud greatly benefit,” said Reginald Thomas Brown, a chair person of the board of social advocacy group Vocal NY, who said he had paid the full fare before realizing he would be eligible because of a disability.
Brown also called for automatic enrollment for eligible customers. He recalled how he had to go down to the MTA customer service center on Stone Street in Lower Manhattan in connection with the switchover to OMNY.
City Council member Gale Brewer said automatic enrollment wouldn’t take too much technology. “Private sector folks are always finding ways to enroll you in things you don’t want to be enrolled in, so why can’t we be enrolled in something we want to be enrolled in?” she asked, adding that she had also found it difficult just to sign up for the senior OMNY card. She also called for more advertising of the program, especially in buses..
“Paris has twice the number of bus riders than New York City. We should be competing with all world capitals to get more people on the bus,” said new Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal.“
Kara Gurl, planning and advocacy manager for the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, said 30 percent of New Yorkers would benefit under an expansion to up to 300 percent of the poverty level. “That’s over one million more riders than are eligible today.” She pointed to a report that PCAC co-released with other groups in December, which found that in 37 of 51 Council Districts over 25 percent of their residents would be eligible under such an expansion. “That’s more than enough to decide an election.”
“One of the big issues that the administration said is we are going to make government more efficient. This is the way to make it more efficient,” said Hildalyn Colon, Chief Operations and Strategic Officer at New Immigrant Community Empowerment.
“Just yesterday morning, before I even opened the doors…,a lady came to me and asked for assistance in applying for Fair Fares,” said Vianey Romero, director of programs at Mizteca, an immigrant support non-profit in Sunset Park. “She mentioned how it was challenging and overwhelming for her to pay the fare. She had to walk from her house to Mizteca instead of taking the bus and subway to seek assistance,” Romero said. “Free buses, expanded Fair Fares and faster bus service would immediately change their lives. It would reduce the need for fare enforcement and allow people to move throughout the city without fear of punishment for being poor.”
Sharon McLennon, executive director of Center for Independence of the Disabled, pointed to the need for changes to the Acess-A-Ride program, with its requirements for pre-registration a day before, payment of the full-fare and long, inconvenient trip routes. “That is not a fair, equitable service,” she said. “So as you demand a Fair Fare increase, we demand free Access-A-Ride for all users, because … one day you may not be able to take a bus or a train,” she said, and cited the installation of new elevators in some stations as a result of years long advocacy and lawsuits.
“If less than one percent of the city budget can fund free buses and can move us toward free subways for those who need it the most, then the real question is not whether we can do this, it why we haven’t done it already,” said Kashif Hussein from the Public Advocate’s Office.
Councilmember Lincoln Restler said Mamdani’s campaign call for fast and free buses was a direct result of the initial advocacy for Fair Fares over five years ago from groups like the Riders Alliance. “Because of the success of Fair Fares, we have been building and building to a point where we just elected a mayor who is demanding that we make our transit more affordable, more accessible and faster for all of us.”
