Sponsors (7)
The bill prioritizes fiscal protection for federally funded transit systems and preserves targeted fare assistance, but at the cost of restricting local ability to implement universal free-fare pilots—potentially shifting costs to taxpayers and foreclosing broader ridership and environmental gains.
Transit systems and their workers: the bill preserves fare revenue by preventing unfunded universal free fares, supporting operating budgets and service continuity for riders and employees.
Low-income individuals, seniors, and students: the bill explicitly allows targeted programs to continue offering free or reduced fares, preserving benefits for disadvantaged and priority groups.
Local governments and taxpayers: the bill requires non‑Federal dedicated operating revenue or a Secretary waiver before universal free fares are implemented, maintaining a safeguard for federally funded transit budgets.
Local transit agencies: barred from adopting universal free-fare pilots unless funded with dedicated non‑Federal revenue, significantly limiting local policy flexibility to expand ridership or test fare-free models.
Taxpayers and local budgets: may face pressure to provide the dedicated non‑Federal operating revenue required for a waiver, potentially diverting funds from other local services or increasing local taxes.
Urban communities and low-income individuals: restricting universal free fares limits a policy that could have reduced barriers to transit use, decreased car dependence, and delivered environmental and access benefits.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced March 5, 2026 by Scott Perry · Last progress March 5, 2026
Prohibits recipients of federal transit assistance under chapter 53 from adopting universal fare‑free policies that let all riders travel without paying a fare. The bill still allows targeted fare exemptions or discounts for specific groups (seniors, low‑income riders, students, and employees or members traveling under an agreement) and lets the Secretary of Transportation waive the ban if the transit provider secures a dedicated non‑Federal source of operating revenue to pay for universal free fares. One short provision only sets a short title and has no substantive effect; the operative provision amends federal transit law to restrict universal fare‑free programs unless locally funded from non‑Federal, dedicated operating revenue and approved by the Secretary through a waiver.