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A Democratic Socialist councilman is advocating for fare-free public transportation in Dutchess County, citing neighboring counties that have already implemented similar programs.
City of Poughkeepsie Eighth Ward Councilman Daniel Atonna, along with several Democratic Socialist Party members and Vassar College students, attended a Dutchess County Legislature meeting this week to advocate for the elimination of bus fares on the county transit system.
"It is the government's job to make peoples' lives easier, especially the working class," Atonna told legislators, according to Mid-Hudson News. He noted that his constituents want "better bus service. They want more frequent service, more routes, and more stops."
Atonna pointed out that Sullivan and Ulster counties implemented free bus service in 2022, suggesting Dutchess County should follow suit by March. Currently, Dutchess County Transit charges $1.75 for a single ride at full fare, with monthly unlimited ride tickets available for $62 or $31 for reduced-fare eligible riders.
The councilman cited county ridership figures of 800,000 riders last year, though official records show the annual ridership on Dutchess County Public Transit buses was 680,015 round-trips. Before the pandemic, in 2019, ridership reached 845,929 round-trips.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino declined to comment on the proposal, noting that no formal legislation has been presented to her office.
The push for fare-free transit in Dutchess County comes as similar initiatives are being debated elsewhere. In New York City, advocates are pressing Mayor Mamdani to expand the Fair Fares program to provide free subway and bus service for people making up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level, according to Streetsblog NYC.
Despite the push for fare-free transit, observations at the Dutchess County Transit Hub in Poughkeepsie immediately following Atonna's plea showed limited ridership, with three buses arriving carrying a total of four riders. Two buses departed empty while one left with two passengers.
The county revamped its bus routes in 2024 after substantial research, eliminating some stops due to low ridership while expanding service on other routes.