Advocates push for free WRTA bus fares at forum

Full and original article posted on Telegram.com

WORCESTER — Riders and advocates at a public forum Thursday were all in favor of a fare-free Worcester Regional Transit Authority, seeing the proposal as a way to increase ridership and get people out of cars and into buses.

“It would have a major impact economically, culturally, and environmentally,” said Candria Gray, a member of the Fare Free Exploratory Group, one of several groups of WRTA riders who collaborated on a forum at the Great Brook Valley Community Room on Thursday evening. “We just have to take that step. We can’t wait for Boston to have fare-free service or low-fare service and say ‘we should do that,’ we have the chance to do it today.”

But those at the meeting also said that free bus rides needed to come with increased and improved service to make a difference.

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