Mamdani bails on plan for free buses amid budget constraints

New York City socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani has admitted that he will not be able to deliver on his campaign promise of free buses this year, despite previously promoting the idea for the MTA bus service.

The initiative was not included in his 127 billion budget proposal that was unveiled earlier in the year and failed to gain traction with state lawmakers who are negotiating the state spending plan with Governor Kathy Hochul. Instead, Mamdani said he will focus on restoring the fare-free bus pilot program, a limited trial where select bus routes operate without requiring passengers to pay.

“Both legislative houses included language within their one-house budget proposals in support of bringing back a free bus pilot program,” Mamdani told Politico. “That is something that we are encouraged by, and it continues to be part of budget negotiations.”

Despite the setback, Mamdani said that he is still “absolutely committed to making buses fast and free” in the future.

“We’re encouraged by the conversations we’re having with the governor and legislative leaders to take action on that in 2026 as a first step,” he added.

The efforts come despite pushback from Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber, who has warned that the plan will cost more than Mamdani has estimated, per the New York Post.

“If a lot more people are riding the bus, are we going to need more buses or are we going to need more bus drivers?” Lieber said in an interview last month. “Will we need extra depots? What will be the impact on subway fare revenue if everyone moves to the — or some people move to the — bus, right? Those need to be studied.”