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Making Transit Work for Low-Income New Yorkers
Rachel Swaner, Selim Bozkurt, Yvonne Peña
Summary:
Nearly 400,000 New York City residents receive half-priced subway and bus fares through Fair Fares. Yet there are still hundreds of thousands of eligible New Yorkers who have not enrolled.
To better understand Fair Fares and how low-income New Yorkers experience the transit system more broadly, this brief draws on a 2026 CSS survey of New Yorkers receiving public benefits. The findings highlight the strengths and limitations of Fair Fares and point to challenges that low-income New Yorkers face navigating the transit system, including cost, reliability, and safety.
Issues: Economic Mobility & Security
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