Low-income MBTA riders will be able to apply for reduced fares starting Sept. 4, and in the two days since the agency soft-launched the program to a select few, dozens have already enrolled.
The T is gearing up for the start of a long-awaited fare option, starting by inviting a few thousand riders at a time from the existing Youth Pass to apply online for the newer version.
Since sending the first wave of invitations on Tuesday, 150 riders have enrolled in the new income-eligible reduced fare program, MBTA Director of Fare Policy and Analytics Steven Povich said Thursday.
The fare policy approved in March will offer half-price T fares to riders who earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which in 2024 is about $30,120 annually for a single person or $62,400 for a family of four.
To qualify, riders must be Massachusetts residents with government-issued IDs between the ages of 18 and 64. They must also be enrolled in a state assistance program, such as health insurance, food aid, or cash assistance programs like MassHealth Standard, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC).
Applicants can choose to “auto-verify,” which will confirm their eligibility using their identity, or they can manually upload an ID card and proof of enrollment in a qualifying state assistance program. Once confirmed, the T will mail participants a reduced-fare CharlieCard.
The T currently offers discounts to select groups, including seniors and young people. But before moving toward the new program, there were few options for low-income individuals between the ages of 18 and 64.
Upon launch on Sept. 4, the T will operate five in-person locations offering support to riders who prefer not to apply for reduced-price fares online, Povich said. Officials will expand that to three dozen locations across eastern Massachusetts as the program grows.
“We’re particularly excited about the…