Philadelphia’s Zero Fare Initiative Marks Over 4.3 Million Rides in the First Year – Hoodline
By Joshua Doyle
One year into its ambitious pilot, the City of Philadelphia's Zero Fare program is showing strong results. Launched in August 2023, the program aimed to assess how free public transportation would impact residents with lower incomes. Over 24,000 Philadelphians have received Zero Fare Key cards and around 64% of them are actively using the SEPTA system, according to the City of Philadelphia.
"The Zero Fare program is already having “a huge impact” on the lives of Philadelphians and “has been a life-changing program” for many residents", said Nicola Mammes, Director of Zero Fare, as stated by the City of Philadelphia. This initiative has recorded over 4.3 million trips across SEPTA's network, primarily during peak weekday travel windows. An interesting fact, nearly 90% of these trips are via bus and subway.
