New Yorkers take Zohran Mamdani free bus promise literally as MTA loses millions in skipped fares

Political promises of "free buses" in New York City are contributing to a spike in fare evasion that is costing the city’s mass transit system millions of dollars, transit officials warn.

In July, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman Janno Lieber blamed political rhetoric for fueling fare evasion, though he never mentioned Mayor Zohran Mamdani by name.

"There’s a trend that broke out," Lieber told reporters following a meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, according to the New York Post .

"With malice towards none, I say all of the talk of free buses, it has an impact." The MTA reported that paid bus ridership fell nearly 8% in June compared to the same month last year.

During Mamdani’s first six months in office, bus fare revenue fell by $31 million compared to the first half of 2025.

Agency estimates show nearly half of bus riders now skip the $3 fare.

MAMDANI SHRUGS OFF AOC'S 'WOKE 1' COMMENTS, BUT CRITIC SAYS PROGRESSIVES CAN'T BE ABSOLVED OF 'RADICAL' PAST Mamdani made the slogan "fast and free buses" a major part of his 2025 mayoral campaign.

However, the MTA is controlled by Democratic Gov.

Kathy Hochul and the state, rather than City Hall.

While the mayor and Hochul unveiled plans on July 8 to focus instead on speeding up bus routes, experts and union leaders say the "free bus" rhetoric has already contributed to fare evasion.

John V.

Chiarello, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, the city’s largest transit union representing more than 40,000 transit workers, told Fox News Digital that current fare evasion levels are the "worst" his drivers have seen.

He noted that buses were temporarily free during the COVID-19 pandemic and said the MTA worked to reverse the resulting habit of not paying fares, but that behavior has resurfaced in recent months.

PAYROLL DATA EXPOSES SIX-FIGURE SALARIES BEHIND TRANSIT STRIKE GRINDING NYC TRAVEL TO A HALT "Once you make something free, and you give people a feeling of entitlement, and then the mayor says that he wants to make buses free, you have a perfect storm of people not wanting to pay," Chiarello said.