WORK PROGRAM
MBTA BOSTON FREE BUS FARE EQUITY ANALYSIS
March 31, 2022
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) votes to approve this work program.
Agency and Other Client Transportation Planning Studies and Technical Analyses
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Client Supervisor: Steven Povich
Principal: Paul Christner
Manager: Rose McCarron
Future MBTA Contract
Schedule and budget details are shown in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively.
This studyis supported in full with non-MPO funding. Committing MPO staff to this project will not impinge on the quality or timeliness of MPO-funded work.
On March 1, 2022, the MBTA, in collaboration with the City of Boston, launched a two-year fare-free program for MBTA bus Routes 23, 28, and 29. These bus routes run along some of the highest-ridership bus corridors in the City of Boston and provide connections to rail stations and to the broader MBTA network. The fare-free program is an expansion of the six-month fare-free pilot for bus Route 28 that was set to end on February 28, 2022.
The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) has provided technical assistance to the MBTA related to fare structure and tariff changes for more than 25 years. The MBTA requested that CTPS conduct the federally required fare equity analysis to evaluate whether implementation of the fare-free program would result in a disparate impact (DI) on minority populations or disproportionate burden (DB) on low-income populations as defined in the MBTA’s DI/DB policy. This analysis will satisfy the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA’s) requirement that transit providers evaluate the effect of fare changes on low-income and Title VI-protected populations.
Perform a federally required fare equity analysis to assess the impacts of the MBTA’s fare-free program on bus Routes 23, 28, and 29.
CTPS will review available data sources, including bus ridership data, survey-based ridership models, and ridership surveys obtained during the initial free-fare pilot on bus Route 28. Based on the available data, CTPS will consider how to incorporate pandemic-related changes to bus ridership generally and specific changes on the bus routes included the fare-free program.
In consultation with the MBTA, CTPS will determine which data sets and modeling techniques are most appropriate to estimate how the fare-free program will change the average fare for low-income riders, minority riders, and transit riders as a whole.
Fare equity analysis methodology
CTPS will use the methodology identified in Task 1 to analyze the potential effects of fare structure changes on different socioeconomic groups. This work will be done in accordance with the requirements of the FTA Circular 4702.1B Title VI Requirements and Guidelines for FTA Recipients.
CTPS will prepare fare equity analysis summary results, which will include an evaluation of the effect of the program on average fares for minority and low-income populations.
Fare equity analysis summary results
CTPS will compose a technical memorandum that outlines the datasets and methods used to perform the fare equity analysis. The memorandum will include the estimated impact on average fares and will apply the MBTA’s DI/DB policy to determine if the program will result in an inequitable outcome. A disparate impact would be found if the average fare decrease for minorities is less than 90 percent of the average fare decrease for all riders. A disproportionate burden would be found if the average fare decrease for low-income riders is less than 90 percent of the average fare decrease for all riders.
A memorandum on the fare equity analysis for the fare-free program
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166. The Boston Region MPO also complies with the Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a, which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities, and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background. A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this information in a different language or in an accessible format, please contact Title VI Specialist By Telephone: For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service:
For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay.
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|
Task |
Month | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|
1.
Define Analysis Approach
|
From Month 1, Week 1 to Month 1, Week 3.
|
|||
|
2.
Model the Title VI and Environmental Justice Impacts of the Free-Fare Program
|
From Month 1, Week 4 to Month 3, Week 4.
|
|||
|
3.
Prepare Final Memorandum on Fare Equity Analysis
|
From Month 3, Week 1 to Month 4, Week 4.
Deliverable
A
Delivered by Month 4, Week 4.
|
|||
A:
Memorandum
|
Task |
Person-Weeks |
Direct
Salary |
Overhead
(109.09%) |
Total
Cost |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | P-4 | P-2 | Total | ||||
|
1.
Define Analysis Approach
|
0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.9 | $2,868 | $3,129 | $5,997 |
|
2.
Model the Title VI and Environmental Justice Impacts of the Free-Fare Program
|
0.0 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 4.1 | $5,738 | $6,260 | $11,998 |
|
3.
Prepare Final Memorandum on Fare Equity Analysis
|
0.9 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 3.6 | $5,628 | $6,140 | $11,768 |
|
Total
|
1.1 | 0.7 | 5.8 | 2.1 | 9.6 | $14,234 | $15,528 | $29,763 |