El Paso County is about to try something big, and honestly, something pretty exciting. Starting December 22, 2025, riding El Paso County buses will be completely free, at least for a while.
According to KVIA, the El Paso County Commissioners Court approved a Zero-Fare Pilot Program that will run through September 30, 2026. During that time, riders will not have to pay a single dollar to use ETA Paseo, Access, or Andale bus services across the county.
This is not a small experiment. It is a clear statement about access, affordability, and how public transit fits into everyday life in El Paso.
What the Zero-Fare Pilot Program Actually Does
KVIA reports that the county approved $145,087 to fund the pilot program. Instead of charging riders, El Paso County is using money that had previously been set aside for fare collection equipment. In other words, the county is choosing to invest in people using the system rather than in the process of collecting fares.
A county spokesperson told KVIA that the goal is to see whether a zero-fare system can increase mobility, reduce how much people rely on their cars, cut down on congestion, and improve air quality. County leaders have also said that if the pilot is successful, they would look to federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration to help keep the program going in the future.
Why This Matters for Everyday Families
Transportation is expensive, especially in a spread-out region like El Paso County. Commissioner Jackie Butler, who chairs the ETA Board of Directors, pointed out in comments reported by KVIA that residents here spend about 20 percent of their household income on transportation, based on 2020 U.S. Census data.
Making buses free immediately takes pressure off family budgets. It also encourages people who normally drive to at least try public transit, which can help reduce traffic for everyone, including those who still choose to drive.
Free Public Transit Is Not a New Idea
El Paso County is not the first place to try this. Cities and countries around the world have already gone down this road.
Luxembourg became the first country in the world to make all public transportation free nationwide back in 2020. The goal was to reduce traffic, cut emissions, and make mobility a basic public service.
Tallinn, Estonia has offered free public transit to residents since 2013. The city saw increased ridership and made it easier for lower-income residents and seniors to get around. In the United States, cities like Kansas City have also eliminated fares, reporting faster boarding, lower operating costs, and increased ridership.
These examples show that fare-free transit is not some untested theory. It is already working in different parts of the world under different conditions.
How Free Transit Can Help the Local Economy
When people do not have to worry about paying to get around, they have more flexibility in their lives. Free transit can make it easier to get to work, school, doctor’s appointments, and local businesses.
That matters for the economy. Workers can reach more job opportunities. Employers can pull from a larger labor pool. Small businesses benefit from increased foot traffic. Families keep more money in their pockets, which often gets spent right back into the local economy.
As KVIA noted, the El Paso County pilot also aims to reduce vehicle mileage, which means fewer cars on the road, less pollution, and less wear and tear on infrastructure.
A Big Step Worth Paying Attention To
This zero-fare pilot program is not just about buses. It is about how El Paso County thinks about mobility and who gets access to opportunity. By removing fares, the county is testing whether transportation can be treated like other essential public services.
If the program succeeds, it could become a model not just for El Paso, but for other communities across Texas and the Southwest. Sometimes progress does not come from adding something new, but from removing a barrier that never needed to be there in the first place.
And starting this December, El Paso County will get to see what happens when that barrier disappears.
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