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An Albany County Legislator wants to study what it would take to make bus rides free in the Capital District.
Democratic Legislator Sam Fein of the sixth district introduced a proclamation calling for the Capital District Transportation Authority to conduct a study on implementing fare-free transit for all bus routes. They get about 20 percent of their revenue for their operating budget from fares, so, once we have a study then we can look at how we can make up that revenue.
CDTA was fare-free for several months during the beginning of the pandemic. Fein says multiple U.S. cities already run free buses, and says it encourages travel and helps local businesses. CDTA says it “needs time to look over the proposal.”