Starting next month, commuters in Miami-Dade will be saving a bit extra as the county introduces free rides on the Metro-Bus or Metrorail.
From November 13 to December 31, commuters will be able to save the $2.25 spent on bus fare, as the county rolls out a plan to help increase ridership on public buses.
The “Better Bus Network,” initiative is designed to boost ridership and reduce waiting times by introducing additional buses on busy routes.
Miami-Dade County says the initiative “will dramatically increase transit access to jobs, education, healthcare and quality of life and uplift our most vulnerable, including seniors, with significantly better services.”
Through the initiative, the number of frequent routes on the network will increase from five to nineteen, forming a network of frequent lines covering most of the county. Weekend service will increase to near the same levels as weekdays, for most local routes, according to the county.
Additional positives from the initiative, which the county outlines, are that the new network will bring frequent transit service to more than a quarter million low-income residents, more than double the 119,000 who are near frequent transit today. The new network will also bring frequent service near almost 60% of households without cars; some 20,000 additional households without cars near more frequent service.
According to the Miami Herald, the 2024 budget forecast estimates $76 million in fares this year. It’s estimated that the free rides for the last six weeks of the year could cost the county $9 million. The budget set aside $6.25 million for Better Bus initiative, which could include revenue to cover missing fare dollars.
