Press Release
CSS Report: Costs and Enrollment Barriers Preventing Fair Fares From Reaching Its Potential
New York, NY — A new report from the Community Service Society of New York (CSS) finds that New York City’s Fair Fares discount transit program is helping many low-income New Yorkers stay connected to jobs, school, and essential services, but significant gaps remain that limit its full potential.
The report, Making Transit Work for Low-Income New Yorkers, is based on findings from a recent CSS survey of 1,653 New York City residents who currently receive SNAP benefits, Cash Assistance, or CityFHEPS housing vouchers. Survey respondents were asked about their experiences with the Fair Fares program, which provides half-priced MTA bus and subway fares to New York City residents, ages 18 to 64, with incomes at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line.
While the survey shows that Fair Fares is an important support for many households, it also reveals that affordability remains a major challenge. For example, nearly two in three Fair Fares users reported that even with the 50 percent discount, many say they struggle to cover the costs of public transportation. And among the population of New Yorkers already connected to public assistance programs and eligible for the program, more than one in three reported not being enrolled in Fair Fares.
If the program is not reaching the population of New Yorkers already engaged with the public benefits system, it is unlikely to reach the hundreds of thousands of eligible New Yorkers who are not on public assistance – at least not without reforms to how the program is implemented.
“These findings make clear that Fair Fares is not reaching everyone it is designed to serve,“ said David R. Jones, CSS President and CEO. “When eligible New Yorkers are already receiving city or state benefits, no one should have to jump through additional hoops just to afford a bus or subway ride. Public transit is a necessity, not a luxury, for low-income New Yorkers. The city’s public transit system should be a gateway to economic opportunity, not a barrier.”
To address shortcomings in the Fare Fairs program, the report offers several recommendations, including:
Automatic enrollment of New Yorkers who are already determined eligible through programs such as SNAP, Cash Assistance, or CityFHEPS, to significantly increase participation and reduce administrative barriers.
Making Fair Fares free for New Yorkers with incomes under 150 percent of the federal poverty level, recognizing that even half-priced fares can be unaffordable for families facing deep economic hardship.
Making the city’s buses free was supported by two-thirds of public assistance recipients who complained about bus speeds. Free buses would eliminate fare payment at the door, speed up boarding, reduce wait times and make every route faster.
Investments to improve bus and subway reliability and safety – especially in outer-borough communities with limited transit alternatives.
“The Fair Fares program has already proven its value as a transformative program, “ said Rachel Swaner, CSS Vice President for Policy, Research and Advocacy and author of the report. “The next step is to ensure that it reaches everyone who needs it and that the cost of getting around the city is no longer a financial strain to New Yorkers who most rely on our mass transit system to get to school, work and everywhere they need to be.”
Survey Methodology: The Making Transit Work report cites data from the 2026 NYC Benefits Survey which was conducted by CSS in partnership with the polling firm Seven Letter Insight. The survey sample featured 1,653 New Yorkers currently receiving SNAP, Cash Assistance or CityFHEPS housing vouchers, and was conducted between January 7 and February 9, 2026. The margin of error was 2.16 percentage points.
The Community Service Society of New York (CSS) has worked with and for New Yorkers since 1843 to promote economic opportunity and champion a more equitable city and state. We power change through a strategic combination of research, services, and advocacy to make New York more livable for people facing economic insecurity. www.cssny.org