Stamford Board Of Reps. To Consider Resolution For Permanent Free Bus Service

STAMFORD, CT — With the suspension on local bus fares in Connecticut set to expire in two months, the Stamford Board of Representatives will consider a resolution at its next full meeting on Feb. 6 that will call on Gov. Ned Lamont and the state legislature to permanently eliminate fares for all bus riders.

Lamont had temporarily eliminated bus fares in April 2022 in response to inflation and rising costs of gasoline. The measure is expected to expire after March 31.

The resolution was submitted by the Stamford Board of Reps. State and Commerce Committee and Reps. de la Cruz, Amiel Goldberg, James Grunberger, Jonathan Jacobson, Ashley Ley, Don Mays, Eric Morson, Susan Nabel, Bobby Pavia, Fred Pierre-Louis, Maureen Pollack, Daniel Sandford and Ramya Shaw.

Hartford and New Haven have passed similar resolutions directed toward Lamont recently.

"Buses are an essential mode of transportation for working- and middle-class families, young people, and students, among others, who cannot afford to or otherwise do not want to own an automobile, many of whom live in the city of Stamford," the Stamford resolution says in part. "Research has shown that pay-per-use fees for transportation, such as bus fares and highway tolls, are regressive taxes that disproportionately affect the most financially vulnerable residents."

The resolution also noted that the estimated investment of making bus travel free annually is $18 million, "a small fraction of infrastructure spending by the Connecticut Department of Transportation."

Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons said in a statement to Patch through her special assistant Lauren Meyer that she supports the resolution.

"I support the Board of Representative’s resolution calling for the state to make permanent the elimination of bus fares. Ridership has increased due to the fare-free bus service and it has provided residents across our city and state with greater access to transit, especially during a difficult financial time," Simmons said.

According to Stamford ridership data, there was a significant jump in ridership from March 2022 (183,126 passenger trips) to April 2022 (218,949 passenger trips) when the fare freeze was implemented.

The data shows 3.1 million passenger trips in Stamford in 2022, compared to 2.8 million before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

During a meeting between the Board of Reps. State Commerce Committee on Jan. 18, Jay Stange, the coordinator of Transport Hartford Academy, said many households in urban areas do not have any vehicles and rely entirely on public transportation.

Transport Hartford Academy is an advocacy program aimed at promoting modes of transportation which are environmentally sustainable, equitable, safe and accessible.

According to meeting minutes, Stange said a permanent elimination of fares would be a "game-changer" for people.

The Conservation Law Foundation, a non-profit, member-supported, regional environmental organization in New England, submitted a letter in support of the Stamford resolution.

"CLF believes that all New England's have the right to clean air and water, that everyone should have easy access to green, open spaces and affordable public transit, and that every community should have the power to impact decisions affecting their health, livelihoods and quality of life," their letter said in part.

The Stamford Board of Reps. meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., on Feb. 6. Residents can watch via Zoom.