Petition to MA State Legislators, City Councilors, Senior Leaders, Public Transportation officials and advocates, and news media for
Free basic MBTA public transportation services for resident seniors 75 and over (with proper senior ID)

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Provide TOTALLY FREE basic public transportation services for resident seniors 75 and over (with proper registration and official senior ID)

Some Boston City Council members want to give FREE bus service to ALL Boston residents, but our proposal costs FAR less to the system AND serves a target population that (i) can use the discount AND (ii) is unlikely to use it frequently enough to become financially crippling to the MBTA system.

But the MBTA system requires higher level intervention.  This can we worked out.

Please consider that:
* Boston gives 50% discount to handicapped and senior (65 and over) MBTA users.
* Pittsburgh and Philadelphia (a) do even more than Boston and (b) give FREE public transportation and more to their seniors.
* Boston could easily afford to extend FREE rides to seniors 75 and over because, without public transportation, they may use (a) the Ride and/or (b) discounted taxicab passes.
* Many argue that public transportation should be free in order to achieve urban 'green goals' and to make private driving less desirable and opportunistic. Others think that there should always 'be some skin in the game' in public services, but 75-year-old elders (a) often use fewer transportation services and (b) if they did use them more, may use less of costlier publicly-funded services (thus saving cities money).
* Many seniors use MBTA services to go to medical appointments, where there should be no further barriers to access.  Often their income is very low.
* Lowell MA made their public transportation entirely free across the system, and their ridership is now up 24%.  Don't forget our elders (who may really need it) during our conversation about commitments to diversity and access.
* Columbus, Ohio, gives free DOWNTOWN ACCESS to all its downtown workers (which is less expensive than building garages, so 'it pays for itself').

- Thrive alive at 75 ?
- We're glad and honor you with free public transportation services.

* Do this as quickly and graciously as possible.
* Cost is low.
* The good-will in this effort and contributions to public good will be very high at relatively low cost!

Don't create more elderly shut-ins.
Boston should be a more age-friendly city
Provide TOTALLY FREE basic public transportation services for resident seniors 75 and over (with proper and official senior ID)

The topic is being discussed throughout the region and the nation:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/14/us/free-public-transit.html
https://northendwaterfront.com/2020/01/reader-poll-should-the-mbta-buses-be-free/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/cities-waive-bus-fares-in-bid-to-boost-ridership-11579007895

A key issue is cost.

BUT this petition is for free public transportation services for (i) Mass.-based senior residents (ii) 75 or over (iii) who board the train or bus inside the Commonwealth, and it does make free a cheaper service that could replace some MORE EXPENSIVE services already offered to that same demographic.