Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates MBTA’s New Income-Eligible Reduced Fare Program

First-of-its-kind program funded by Governor Healey’s FY24 and FY25 budgets officially launches tomorrow.

Today, Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng, ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler, and Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) Chief Operating Officer Michael Cole joined community leaders, elected officials, advocates, and stakeholders at Malden Center Station on the Orange Line in Malden to celebrate the launch of expanded access to reduced fares for income-eligible riders, which begins tomorrow, September 4, 2024.

“We are thrilled to launch the Income-Eligible Reduced Fares Program, which will increase access to the T’s buses, subways, commuter rail, ferries and paratransit for riders across the state. We’re putting $720 back in the pockets of each daily rider who uses this program,” said Governor Maura Healey. “General Manager Eng and his team at the MBTA have been making great progress to improve safety and reliability across the system, and with the launch of this new program, we are making it more affordable for Massachusetts residents to ride the T as well. We’re grateful to the Legislature and advocates for their partnership to make this possible and encourage all eligible riders to sign up today.”

“If we want to encourage more residents to leave their cars behind and ride the T, we need to make sure it’s affordable. This new program is an important addition to the work that the T has been doing to improve operations across the system,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Congratulations to General Manager Eng and his team for their work to launch this transformative program.”

A meaningful improvement for fare equity, the new program provides riders who are aged 18-64 and have low income with reduced one-way and round-trip fares of approximately 50% off on all MBTA buses, subway, Commuter Rail, ferries and paratransit (The RIDE) travel. This unlocks affordability for residents across the MBTA service area, including in the Gateway Cities. This expansion will be the first reduced fare program to include The RIDE. As part of this change, Senior users of The RIDE will also be eligible for half-priced fares on both Standard and Premium RIDE trips. 

“Equity in transportation is vital and income-eligible reduced fares mean we are supporting increased mobility access for all,” said Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to equity and the MBTA and MassDOT are going to continue to be proactive in pursuing initiatives that help ensure no one in this state feels left behind and all have the means to get to where they need to go.”

“This is a proud moment for the MBTA as we make transit more affordable. Under the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the advocacy of Secretary Tibbits-Nutt, income eligible reduced fares are now a reality across all of our modes of travel,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “The Governor and the Legislature included essential funding in our budget to implement this program and with the approval of our Board, and the participation of numerous partners at the EOHHS, the RMV, ABCD, MASSCAP, and Omicron Technology Solutions, this program will benefit those that need it the most. On behalf of the many advocates who have championed this initiative, this is a giant step that allows the public we serve and those that rely on mass transportation an opportunity to use it, improving quality of life, boosting economic mobility, and connecting people and communities.” 

Read the full press release.