UPDATED: 09.21.23 to include 09.20.23 press conference.
This month the MTA will begin its fare free bus pilot on five routes, one in each borough. Brooklyn’s free bus is the B60. Its passengers will begin enjoying free rides on September 24.
Routes were chosen based on a variety of factors, including ridership, fare evasion, service adequacy, equity for low-income and economically disadvantaged communities, and access to employment and commercial activity.
This pilot program is set to continue for a period of six to twelve months and is funded by New York State. The MTA will study data during the pilot and make a determination as to how long the free ride period will last.
The B60 bus route operates between Williams Avenue/Flatlands Avenue in Canarsie and Williamsburg Bridge Plaza. The route operates primarily along Rockaway Avenue and Wilson Avenue and serves the Canarsie, Brownsville, Ocean Hill, Bushwick, and Williamsburg neighborhoods. It makes connections to the 3, C, L, G, J, M, Z trains and several other bus routes. Major employers and institutions covered on the route include Brookdale University Hospital & Medical Center, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center and NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull.
“The fare free bus service program will not [only] provide more accessibility but can encourage more commuters and potentially reduce traffic congestion. There’s a range of other benefits to this program as it relates to our social equity, environment, health and overall quality of life. I’m elated to see the program come into fruition and hope that the people of New York truly benefit from it,” said NYS Assembly Member Maritza Davila.
Councilmember Lincoln Restler said, “Free buses are faster buses and I am thrilled that the B60 will be taking riders in and out of Williamsburg every day at no cost! Affordable and reliable public transportation pays dividends by creating economic opportunity and improving quality of life.”
On September 20, NYS Assembly Members Emily Gallagher and Zohran Kwame Mamdani along with NYS Senators Julia Salazar and Kristen Gonzalez participated in a press conference about the MTA’s five free bus routes, which includes the B60.
The Greenline 