By Richard A
The residents of New Haven are urging lawmakers to make the free bus program permanent, claiming it is “very necessary,” particularly for children, seniors, people with disabilities, and those who live in poverty.
The General Assembly approved the proposal together with a gas tax vacation in an effort to lessen the impact of inflation and rising gas prices, and CT Transit buses have been free to ride since April 1. However, the fare-free program is scheduled to cease on December 1.
In recent months, local and state officials have publicly argued in favor of the program’s ongoing existence.
The resolution supporting the initiative was advanced Thursday night before the Board of Alders City Services and Environmental Policy Committee, and legislators from New Haven are about to join the campaign.
The program’s largest benefit, according to Ward 7 Alder Eli Sabin, who proposed the resolution, and local citizens, is that it saves people money while opening up more opportunities.
Since the initiative began in April, “we’ve seen a fairly large impact,” Sabin said in reference to the increase in New Haven bus ridership. That’s noteworthy considering that many people still don’t feel entirely at ease using public transportation.
In Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford, bus ridership returned to 70–75% of pre–COVID levels once the free-fare scheme was implemented, despite a 50% decline following the COVID-19 outbreak.
When the fares were in place, Shae Reeves, a city native who frequently uses public transportation, claimed she typically spent at least $20 each week commuting, which comes to more than $1,000 annually.
“The bus is one of the only accessible means for folks in this town to commute,” Reeves said. Many New Haven employees absolutely depend on this resource; therefore, it is beyond question in their eyes.
A traffic and transportation survey revealed that, in 2019, almost 29% of families lacked a car, which means that almost one-third of households rely on transit, carpooling, ridesharing, walking, or biking to get around the area.
Free fares, according to labor activist Eric Goodman, would improve employees’ quality of life and increase access to resources for those whose various activities are already “out of reach.”
“Having timely and free transportation is essential for those trying to rebuild their lives,” Goodman said. “Free transportation is a means of preventing homelessness, increasing employment, and improving access to human services.”
For those who are “particularly in need,” according to Lorena Mitchell, the city’s coordinator for community mental health initiatives, free public transportation is essential.
“Nearly half of individuals without reliable transportation in New Haven report skipping a doctor’s visit due to lack of transportation,” she said.
According to Wanda Perez, she doesn’t have a car and takes buses to go shopping, to the doctor, and to visit her loved ones. She added that it helps people access food pantries as a member of the advocacy group Witness to Hunger.
The free-fare programs, according to William Long, should be maintained for a variety of reasons, including economic and environmental ones, but he intended to emphasize the advantages for those with disabilities.
Long said some people “can’t afford even the 85 cents,” but they still need to travel, despite the fact that CT Transit has decreased rates for senior citizens and those with disabilities.
Long, who was seated in a wheelchair, stated that “being independent is a really difficult thing.”
Long claimed that the issue arises from the decision-makers’ lack of awareness of lived experience as a result of their own lack of use of public transportation.
Joe Fine claimed that he had to relearn how to use public transportation “for the first time since I was a child” after moving to New Haven three years prior due to his impairments.
According to Fine, “this issue arises as a political issue” since it would have a beneficial influence on the atmosphere and serve as a foundation for closing the wealth and poverty gap.
Sabin emphasized that because they lack the resources or the time to travel to a public hearing, the legislators generally don’t hear from the people who need this the most.
Former Yale University student body president Kahlil Greene claimed that Yale never taught him the value of the New Haven community.
But after he earned his degree and made the decision to stay in the city, the free bus program encouraged him to explore the city’s neighborhoods, which helped him identify places in need of improvement.
Greene bets that by making these bus fares free for everyone, we’ll be able to increase investment in the city. “I don’t have all the economic charges and information, but I’m prepared to bet on it,” he said.
Bus fares generated $43 million in revenue in 2019, according to a representative of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, so eliminating them would require finding other sources of income. However, lawmakers claim that it only makes up “a tiny fraction” of the DOT’s budget.