‘Do we care about the public?’: Cities weigh free public transit amid rising costs

"Michelle Wu, a City Council member in Boston, wants everyone to ride for free on subways and buses that crisscross the region.

Wu says the city is experiencing a "transportation crisis" as ridership declines, rush-hour traffic rises and the infrastructure of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority continues to crumble.

The transportation authority needs salvation and money for repairs, commuters and local transit advocates say, but instead of raising fares beyond the $2.90 it costs now if you pay for a subway ride in cash, Wu thinks a solution may lie in dropping fares altogether."