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Introduced July 28, 2025 by Edward John Markey · Last progress July 28, 2025
Creates a competitive grant program that pays for lost fare revenue and funds improvements so state, county, local governments and transit providers can run fare-free public transit and expand safe, accessible, and reliable service. The program awards five-year grants, requires applications to include equity and operational plans, mandates data collection and a three-year progress report, and authorizes $5 billion per year for FY2026–FY2030.
This bill would substantially expand transit access and equity (including fare-free options and $5B/year funding) benefiting low-income, rural, and underserved riders — but it creates significant near- and long-term fiscal and operational sustainability risks that could shift costs to taxpayers or force service cuts if ongoing funding and local capacity are not secured.
Low-income and non-driving residents — including foster youth who aged out of care — gain clearer eligibility and access to fare-free or subsidized transit, reducing commuting costs and increasing access to jobs and services.
Federal and program funding (including $5B/year for FY2026–2030) increases resources for transit operations and capital, enabling more frequent, safer, and accessible service in urban and rural communities.
Communities gain improved access to reliable mass transit, which expands access to jobs, education, services, and overall livability — particularly in underserved urban and rural areas.
The bill raises federal spending (about $5B/year through FY2030) and creates fiscal obligations that increase taxpayer exposure and could require budget offsets.
Long-term sustainability risk: the program relies on time-limited federal grants and could leave local transit agencies with reduced fare revenue and insufficient ongoing funds, forcing tax increases, service cuts, or reduced reliability when federal support ends.
Implementing fare-free service and expanding networks increases operating, maintenance, and redesign costs and requires local capacity that could strain municipal transit budgets and harm long-term reliability.