By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park on Friday announced a substantial investment and an expansion of eligibility to the Fair Fares transit discount to help make the program more accessible to more New Yorkers.
The Fair Fares program gives eligible New Yorkers with low incomes a 50 percent discount on buses and trains.
The City is investing an additional $20 million into the program to expand eligibility to more New Yorkers, on top of the $75 million the Adams administration and City Council already baselined for Fair Fares in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget. Additionally, the administration, as part of its budget agreement with the City Council, has implemented a rule change increasing the program’s income eligibility standard for the first time — raising it to 120 percent of the federal poverty level, a 20 percent increase over the prior standard. Previously, the Fair Fares discount was available only to New Yorkers between 18 and 64 years old with incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level.
The expansion brings the total baseline funding of Fair Fares to $95 million annually beginning in FY24. This additional funding will ensure that DSS can effectively and efficiently connect newly eligible New Yorkers to Fair Fares, while continuing to provide discounted discounted fares to existing clients. Currently, more than 300,000 New Yorkers are enrolled in the Fair Fares program. Due to the new expansion, many additional low-income New Yorkers will now qualify for the program’s 50 percent discount on subway and eligible bus fares or MTA Access-A-Ride paratransit trips.
DSS continues to work with other city agencies, elected officials, and community-based organizations to promote the Fair Fares program and connect eligible New Yorkers to discounted fares through extensive outreach and education efforts. The Fair Fares transit discount is available to all New Yorkers who meet the eligibility criteria, including non-citizens. New Yorkers can visit the Fair Fares website at nyc.gov/site/fairfares/index.page?utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery to learn more and apply online.
“With today’s $20 million investment in Fair Fares and dramatic expansion of eligibility, Mayor Adams is opening the doors of opportunity for the people of our city to get to school, work, healthcare services and all New York has to offer, all while still being able to put food on the table,” said Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven). “At a time when 1 in 4 low-income New Yorkers have difficulty affording transit, today’s historic 20 percent increase in income eligibility will allow Fair Fares to uplift tens of thousands of more people. The expanded outreach will also allow us to reach New Yorkers who are eligible and tell them about the program. I look forward to partnering with Mayor Adams and DSS Commissioner Park to ensure that all New Yorkers can get where they need to be in a New York minute.”
Fair Fares NYC began in early 2019 as a program for certain eligible New Yorkers receiving Cash Assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. In fall 2019, the program was expanded to certain CUNY students, student Veterans, and NYCHA residents who met the program’s eligibility criteria.
