Borno's New Mass Transit Lightens Commuter's Load, but Challenges Persist

Kansas City is the largest U.S. city to adopt a zero-fare policy since its public bus system stopped charging riders in 2020. This policy change gives riders more financial flexibility and improves social and physical health outcomes as residents are walking more to get to bus stops and are also more connected to the community through increased access to transportation.

Rapid bus system TransMilenio offers locals an extensive bus network of 12 bus lines covering 71 miles. While rapid buses aren’t as fast as a metro, and TransMilenio’s design has its share of issues, this system managed to get up and running in a fraction of the time a metro system takes, and at a significantly lower cost. TransMilenio is crucial in connecting those in underserved districts to the heart of the city and serves about two million riders each day.

Since it began operating in 2018, the Pulse has become one of the most successful bus rapid transit services in the country, leading to other states adopting similar systems. The Pulse is a cost-effective public transit mode that has dramatically increased ridership despite a national trending decline. In June 2021, the Pulse had carried almost five million passengers and counting.

The Kansas City Streetcar provides fare-free transportation for residents, which helps to get them downtown and promote more economic development. The fare-free streetcar also makes transit more equitable by removing barriers for low-income passengers and improving mobility for people with disabilities.

Caltrain's $2.4 billion electrification of 51 miles of track replaced diesel trains with faster electric ones, resulting in ridership increases (it doubled on weekends) and shorter trips. This also led to an 89% reduction in riders' exposure to toxic pollution and an estimated 250,000 metric tons of annual carbon emissions reductions.

Mexico City’s Utopias are large community centers that offer a wide variety of services and amenities, including skills workshops, gym classes, landromats, food and music lessons. There are currently 15 across one borough, and the incoming administration plans to develop more than 100 in total.

The Bike Chicago program promotes active transportation and targets mobility hardship — common within working-class communities — by providing access to free bikes. The program launched in 2022 and has distributed over 2,000 bikes out of its 5,000 goal — with plans to continue distributing through 2026. After receiving a bike, about 12% of recipients report riding it almost daily, while 28% rides it three to five times a week.

A pilot program in Philadelphia is providing low-income residents with unlimited free rides on public transportation, which they may not otherwise be able to afford. Participants did not need to apply and were selected by lottery or through community-based organizations.

Microtransit services like Bay Transit and Mountain Empire Transit are helping boost mobility for those living in rural areas who often lack access to transportation services. Microtransit offers on-demand trips that can be scheduled in advance or booked instantly for a fraction of the cost, as Mountain Empire Transit is fare-free. Since June 2021, Mountain Empire Transit has provided 55,829 to rural residents.

La Rolita is a public transit service in Bogotá, Colombia that prioritizes hiring women drivers and runs completely on electric buses. Women make up nearly half of the fleet's drivers, and the system now includes 11 routes covering roughly 210 miles in the city.