State Lawmakers Push to Revive Fare-Free Bus Pilot Program

Mamdani seeks citywide initiative as legislators include renewal in budget proposals

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The Democratic leaders in both houses of the New York state Legislature have included the revival of a fare-free bus pilot program in their budget proposals for the coming fiscal year. This comes as Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to push for eliminating bus fares citywide. The previous $15 million pilot program, which ran from 2023 to 2024, made one bus line in each borough free to ride, but was deemed a failure by the MTA. Now, state lawmakers are seeking to bring the program back to life after Mamdani made fare-free buses a key part of his winning mayoral campaign.

Why it matters

The revival of the fare-free bus pilot program is seen as an important step in making public transportation more accessible and affordable for New Yorkers, particularly those struggling to make ends meet. However, the MTA has previously argued the pilot was unsuccessful, raising questions about the viability of expanding it citywide.

The details

The state Senate's and Assembly's Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposals both call for the resurrection of the free-bus pilot program that Mamdani sponsored when he was in the state legislature. The upper chamber also proposed expanding the program. The previous $15 million pilot ran for two years but was not renewed after the MTA deemed it a failure, citing issues like slower bus speeds and more time spent at stops. Now, state legislative leaders are seeking to revive the program, with Mamdani lauding their support.

  • The $15 million fare-free bus pilot program ran between 2023 and 2024.
  • The pilot program came to an end in September 2024 after Albany lawmakers declined to renew it.
  • State lawmakers have included the revival of the fare-free bus pilot in their Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposals.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The mayor of New York City who made fare-free buses a core part of his winning campaign.

Kathy Hochul

The governor of New York who has thus far given Mamdani's free bus proposal a cold reception.

Andrea Stewart-Cousins

The state Senate Majority Leader.

Carl Heastie

The state Assembly Speaker.

Janno Lieber

The chair and CEO of the MTA, who has expressed concerns about making all MTA buses free.

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What they’re saying

“I'm also grateful to the legislature for extending the fare-free bus pilot program in both One-Houses; as one in five New Yorkers struggle to pay for public transportation, it is essential we take bold action and build a transit system all New Yorkers can afford.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City (Mayor's statement)

What’s next

Gov. Kathy Hochul would need to sign off on restarting the fare-free bus pilot program, as the state budget deal between Hochul, the state Senate Majority Leader, and the Assembly Speaker must be reached by April 1.

The takeaway

The push to revive the fare-free bus pilot program highlights the ongoing debate over the best ways to make public transportation more accessible and affordable for all New Yorkers, particularly those struggling financially. While the program's previous iteration was deemed a failure by the MTA, lawmakers are now seeking to give it another chance, underscoring the political pressure to address transportation equity in the city.