In early January, Governor Charlie Baker and the MBTA Control Board presented two proposals for fare increases, one of which would raise fares by nearly 10% system-wide. Not only that, the Baker administration also declared that passes were not subject to any fare increase limit, meaning subway passes could increase 13%, bus passes could increase 20%, and student passes could increase 23%!
Since these proposals were released, we’ve been fighting to limit any fare increase to a modest 5%. As we and our partners have shown, riders have already been subject to ample fare increases over the past 15 years, with fares doubling over that time. And when fares increase drastically, it hurts those who rely on the T the most: students, low-income workers, and the elderly. Plus, these types of big increases lead to fewer riders, more people driving, and more congestion and air pollution as a result.
(Click here to read our fact sheet on fare fairs)
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