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Providing free transit access to 30,000+ Philadelphians living near or below the poverty level as part of a two-year pilot program.
Paying for transportation is a financial burden for many Philadelphians. Travel costs create barriers to accessing jobs, health care, social services, and more.
Zero Fare supports free SEPTA transit for residents living near or below the poverty level. The goals of this program are to:
Similar programs in other cities have shown a range of benefits, including better access to social services and medical support. The City of Philadelphia is administering this program in partnership with SEPTA and several community-based organizations.
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zerofare |
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Phone:
(215) 686-4419
311
– Press 5 for assistance
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Residents can't apply independently for Zero Fare. Instead, eligible Philadelphia residents will be randomly selected to participate through a lottery system. Eligibility is based on the following factors:
Enrollment is ongoing. New participants will receive outreach from the City of Philadelphia and a pre-activated Zero Fare Key card in the mail. Interested Philadelphians who are 65 and older should apply to SEPTA's free Senior Program.
About 90% of participants will be randomly selected and automatically enrolled. These participants will receive a pre-activated Zero Fare Key card in the mail.
The remaining 10% of participants will be enrolled through designated community-based organizations that serve communities ineligible for automatic enrollment. These participants will receive their Zero Fare Key card from the organization they visit or via the mail by request.
Zero Fare serves 30,000+ residents. However, since it's a pilot program with limited funding, it can't serve everyone who might be eligible. We are evaluating the program and hope to apply our findings to determine options for expanding the program.
Some groups currently have access to transit subsidies like student fare cards or senior fare cards. By providing a subsidy program for adults experiencing poverty, this program aims to narrow the gap and support increased mobility for a greater number of Philadelphians.
Read about Philadelphia's Zero Fare program, two years in.
