In 2022, Westchester County eliminated summer bus fares on its county-wide system, the Bee-Line. The “Free Bee” program was touted as a way to increase ridership after the COVID-19 pandemic and help low-income residents access some of the county’s biggest attractions during the summer.
But three years later, fares are back on. Not only that, but county lawmakers are introducing legislation that would establish civil penalties for those that dodge the $2.75 bus fare.
“There’s been some speculation, and certainly after we had free buses in the past, that fare enforcement is lax,” said Democratic County Executive Ken Jenkins. “But you have to pay to ride, and this is something we’re actively working to address.”…