Philly has extended its Zero Fare transit program through July 2027, making it the country’s largest low-barrier transit initiative for low-income riders. This effort is funded in part by a $62 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation and a $25 million sustainment for 12 months.
According to a Next City report, since its launch, the program has served more than 24,000 people in its first year and provided more than 6.2 million free SEPTA trips between August 2023 and February 2025. Auto-enrollment accounts for approximately half of all participants.
According to Next City, an Urban Institute study found that the program reduced financial strain and increased access to work, health care, and other activities. Enrollment is supported via trusted community organizations to reduce documentation barriers.
The 2027 city budget includes $25 million to sustain Zero Fare for the next 12 months. Advocates, however, are pushing for year-to-year certainty through a permanent funding solution.
Transit Forward Philadelphia is one of these groups pressing for a permanent funding mechanism such as a Transit Access Fund. Proposals have been advanced to set aside approximately 0.5% of the general fund — about $34 million annually — to support free transit for tens of thousands of low-income residents.
Vince Allen, a 77-year old Germantown resident, told Next City that free transportation can significantly help low-income families.
“You open the door for a parent or parents to show their child something different, other than I live in the brickyard, because for some of these people, that’s all they ever know,” Allen stated to Next City.
Transit Forward Philadelphia and its allies are seeking year-round free transit for students. The group notes that approximately 100,000 students in grades 7-12 travel daily, highlighting current gaps in evening and weekend access under the Student Pass Program.
“Nearly a year after a 21.5% SEPTA fare increase, transit riders should not have to balance paying for food, medical care, and transit fare,” Transit Forward Philadelphia Coalition Manager Stephen Bronskill said in a news release shared with Next City. “We are committed to advocating for a Transit Access Fund in Philly and a state budget that includes sustainable funding for SEPTA and transit agencies across Pennsylvania.”