When a bus ride in Connecticut was free, Jonathan Parrilla found himself hopping on public transit in Bridgeport. But he stopped taking the bus a year ago, when the state ended a year-long free fare program for Connecticut buses.
“When I saw that the fares were free, I said: ‘Hell, why not?’” said Parrilla, 33, of Bridgeport. “I have saved a lot of money on gas. … But now that they are no longer free, it’s time to spend a lot of money on gasoline again.”
He isn’t the only one.
Federal Transit Administration data shows decreased use of several city bus routes across Connecticut since the fares were reinstated in April 2023.
Have more mobility news that we should be reading and sharing? Let us know! Reach out to Sage Kashner (kashner@ctaa.org).
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