Eliminating Fares to Expand Opportunities: Experimental Evidence on the Impacts of Free Public Transportation on Economic and Social Disparities

Key Points

• Free public transportation did not significantly affect paid hours worked for low-income individuals, showing unexpected employment stability.
• Analysis of employment and health benefits used rich administrative data, revealing interesting insights into social disparities.
• The observational approach included various health outcomes related to transit subsidies, suggesting potential indirect benefits beyond financial metrics.
• Results indicate that while employment outcomes were steady, further research is necessary to explore health improvements linked to transit access.