Lawmakers Hear Testimony On Free Bus Fare For Students, Veterans, And Low-Income Riders

by Mia Palazzo CTNewsJunkie

HARTFORD, CT – The Transportation Committee heard testimony Monday on a proposed bill to provide free bus fare on public transportation for high school students, veterans, and low-income passengers.

While Senate Bill 1243 aims to support a diverse range of residents, high-school students have emerged as some of its most vocal advocates. Four students from the Social Justice League at University High School, accompanied by their principal, Sean Tomany, testified in favor of the bill.

The students – Oluwaseyi Oluborode, Nayeli Figueroa, Nariyah Lindsay, and Rodrigue Akoumani – expressed strong support for the initiative, citing its benefits for students’ financial stability, employment opportunities, and overall accessibility.

“Since bus passes became free for students at my school and others, our club has seen a lot of positive changes among students,” Figueroa said. “That’s why we’re here today, to encourage continued support for this service.”

Their testimonies highlighted the bill’s role in reducing financial burdens, improving access to extracurricular activities, and easing transportation challenges for both students and their families.

Figueroa shared that she often scrounges for loose change to pay for bus fare, hoping to avoid burdening her parents.

In response, Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, remarked on the significance of the issue.

“I think it’s important to highlight that when a 14- or 15-year-old feels the need to carry the burden of their parent’s financial struggles, that’s not something everyone sees in their own communities,” Cohen said.

According to DataHaven’s 2023 Community Wellbeing Index, 22% of Latino and 21% of Black respondents in Connecticut reported lacking reliable transportation, compared to 11% of white respondents.

Supporters argued that passing the bill would improve mobility for underserved residents who rely on public transit for work, school, and medical appointments.

Making fares free has proven to increase ridership on the state’s bus systems. The state removed the fares temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic and saw a jump in ridership.

According to the most recent data from the Federal Transit Administration, from March 2023, the last month of free rides, to March 2024, there was a ridership drop of 33% in the CT Transit Stamford Division, 28% in the Hartford Division, 27% in the New Haven Division and 13% in Waterbury.

However, the state Department of Transportation (CTDOT) testified against the legislation, citing budgetary concerns. Officials noted that the bill is not included in Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed fiscal year 2026-27 biennial budget – Lamont’s budget includes increased fares on both rail and buses. Bus fare is currently $1.75 for a two-hour single fare. Lamont’s budget would push that to $2 on July 1, 2026. All-day passes are $3.50, and appear to remain at that price in the Lamont budget. 

“CTDOT pays the remainder of the cost through state-provided subsidies to preserve service levels and keep bus fares affordable,” the agency said in a statement. “Since fiscal year 2019, the state and federal subsidy costs for bus service in Connecticut have increased by 34% due to unavoidable factors such as labor agreements, contractual obligations, and inflationary pressures.”

Jay Stange, manager of the Transport Hartford Academy at the Center for Latino Progress, testified in favor of the bill but advocated for more. He said the Connecticut Tickets to Opportunity Bus Pass Pilot program was successful in Hartford and advocated to make it statewide. He said the pilot was funded by an ARPA grant after $2 million for youth bus passes was struck from the state budget late in the 2024 session.

Stange said that in November, the first month of the Hartford pilot, 331 students used their passes 4,718 times for an average of 14 rides per student. Most of the rides were taken on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

“Our proposed CT Tickets to Opportunity language proposes cutting out the middle layer of administration/purchasing to operationalize a youth bus pass system,” Stange wrote. “Our proposal imagines CT DOT transit districts making 31-day passes available to school districts, which would then disseminate the passes to students requesting them and track the data collected.”

He pointed to surpluses in the state’s Special Transportation Fund.

“As of this hearing, there is a $159.6 million annual surplus in the STF and a $570 million fund balance expected as of June 30.