Free buses are being canceled in New York

The pilot program, which introduced free bus routes in every New York City borough, will end in August. Full fares will be restored on September 1, reports Yahoo.

The program was part of the state's 2023 budget. It provided free routes in each area for six to twelve months.

Over the nine months of the program, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) lost $12 million. Officials MTA stated at a recent council meeting that other accessibility programs are more effective than free ones buses.

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Ongoing bus modernization projects in Queens and Brooklyn will be more effective at serving and attracting riders than free bus routes, officials said.

Which routes will be tolled again?

The free bus program has waived tolls on BX18A/B in the Bronx, M116 through Harlem, 860 between Williamsburg and Canarsie, Q4 from Jamaica to Cambria Heights, and S46/96 through St. George on Staten Island.

The pilot program did not attract significant numbers of new bus riders or remove enough cars from the roads. In total, the MTA lost more than $8 million in fares.

This program was not included in this year's state budget.