U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) recently introduced the No Free Rides Act of 2025, which aims to ensure that local transit agencies enforce the collection of fares for public transportation.
Introduction of the bill follows investigative reporting that revealed the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) enacted a policy instructing drivers to not request bus fares from passengers, according to Rep. Steil’s office, a policy that contributed to both a loss of $4 million in fare evasion and to MCTS’s $10-million operating deficit.
“Federal funds are intended to strengthen and sustain public transportation, not give free rides to people who cheat the system,” Rep. Steil said. “Whether it’s refusing to simply request fare from riders, or eliminating fares entirely, these policies not only push local transit agencies like MCTS toward insolvency, but are fundamentally unfair to the hard-working families who rely on public transportation, follow the rules, and pay their fares.”
If enacted, the measure would prohibit universal free fare policies on public transportation, according to the text of the bill, though the U.S. Secretary of Transportation could waive the requirement if a federal grant recipient of assistance is able to identify a dedicated source of operating revenue for such a universal fare free policy from a non-federal source.