No fare, no fear? Exploring the rationales and actors behind the rise of fare-free public transport during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

• The COVID-19 pandemic triggered the widespread adoption of fare-free public transportation (FFPT) in the U.S., implemented by 259 transit agencies. • Prior familiarity with FFPT and knowledge-sharing networks facilitated its rapid implementation as a crisis response. • FFPT served as a dual measure to ensure physical distancing and provide financial relief to low-income and essential workers. • Federal relief funding, such as the CARES Act, was pivotal in sustaining fare-free operations during the pandemic. • The study underscores how crises can accelerate policy adoption, highlighting equity and financial challenges in sustaining FFPT long-term. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted significant changes in public transport (PT) policies, with fare-free public transport (FFPT) emerging as a widely adopted measure in the United States. While FFPT was previously limited to specific contexts, such as college towns and small urban communities, the pandemic spurred its implementation across 259 transit agencies. This study investigates the factors driving this shift, examining the role of decision-makers, knowledge dissemination, and underlying rationales for fare suspension. Drawing on interviews with transit officials, the findings confirm that prior familiarity with FFPT, amplified by formal and informal knowledge-sharing networks, played a critical role in its widespread adoption. Key justifications for fare suspension included ensuring physical distancing and providing financial relief to social groups dependent on public transport, particularly essential workers and low-income riders. Federal COVID-19 relief funding, such as the CARES Act, was instrumental in enabling transit agencies to offset fare revenue losses and sustain operations. Despite initial unanimous support for FFPT, the study highlights emerging debates about its long-term feasibility, with equity and financial considerations converging in several FFPT cases. The analysis contributes to the broader discourse on policy change, illustrating how crises can accelerate the adoption of policies already circulating within knowledge networks. By unpacking the interplay of actors, rationales, and financial mechanisms, the study offers insights into the dynamics of policy mobility and the future prospects of FFPT in urban public transport systems.