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119-s-2478119th CongressWALLET

Freedom to Move Act

Sponsored By: Senator Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

Introduced

Summary

Fare-free public transportation is the bill's main goal: it would create competitive five-year grants to cover lost fare revenue and fund service and equity improvements in both rural and urban areas.

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  • Families and commuters would get expanded, more reliable bus service and free rides that improve connections to jobs, schools, and services. Grants must include a plan for bus network redesign and prioritized service to low-income and underserved neighborhoods.
  • Low-income people and foster care youth would be explicitly prioritized. The bill defines low income as at or below 150 percent of the poverty line and includes foster care youth in eligibility and reporting metrics.
  • Transit agencies, local governments, and eligible nonprofits could receive grants to cover lost fare revenue and higher operating costs such as fuel, hiring, maintenance, and training. Grants last five years.
  • Rural areas and urbanized areas are both eligible. Private nonprofit rural transit providers can partner with local entities to apply.
  • The program requires equity evaluations and data collection within three years, including demographic ridership data and progress toward closing equity gaps.

*If enacted, it would authorize $5.0 billion per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, increasing federal outlays.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Grants to fund fare-free transit

If enacted, the bill would create a competitive grant program called Freedom to Move Grants. Congress would authorize $5 billion each year from 2026 through 2030 for the program. The agency would have 360 days after enactment to begin awarding five-year grants to eligible applicants. Grants could pay lost fare revenue for fare-free transit and fund service and safety upgrades, hiring and training, bus network redesigns, and infrastructure like bus lanes and signal priority. The bill would also require reporting within three years on who benefits, with demographic data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, and household median income.

Who counts for grant priority

If enacted, the bill would define who the program must prioritize and how recipients are counted. Low-income individuals would be people with family income at or below 150% of the poverty line for family size. An "underserved community" would need both little or infrequent bus service and to be in a census tract that is low-income and a community of color. "Foster care youth" would include children under State or Tribal care and people who were age 13 or older while in care, even if later adopted or placed with a guardian. The bill would also say what counts as public transportation and would exclude intercity rail, intercity buses, school buses, charters, private shuttles, sightseeing, and intra-facility shuttles from grant eligibility.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

MA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 7/28/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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