Miami-Dade County buses and the Metrorail service, including the Metromover and MetroConnect, will all be free of charge until the end of the year starting Monday, Nov. 13. NBC6’s Olivia Jaquith reports.
Miami-Dade County buses and the Metrorail service, including the Metromover and MetroConnect will all be free of charge until the end of the year, starting Monday, Nov. 13.
Officials with Miami-Dade County Transit and Public Works said years of planning went into the Better Bus Network after it was approved in 2021 and that it has been a community-led effort for a more reliable, efficient network.
This major system overhaul will change all but six bus routes and more than a dozen routes will be eliminated altogether.
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The changes will be posted on yellow signs at each stop which show what routes were stopping there before and what new routes will be stopping there now.
Local leaders say you may have to walk an extra block to catch the bus, but it will come twice as fast.
"We are drastically changing our system in order to provide more frequent routes to our community, faster journeys, a simplified system that can actually increase access to opportunities," said Carlos Cruz of the Miami-Dade County Dept. of Transportation and Public Works.
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The lack of fares for six weeks is estimated to cost the county about $9 million. With the allure of free transit, the county hopes to regain that lost revenue if more people ride public transit in the long term.
Those changes, however, may come with some growing pains, which riders have already expressed their concerns about.
"There are a lot of people here who take the L. So, it would be really tough for us because the L drives me directly to school, and I need the L to go to school," said Carina Staub who rides the bus.
To see a full list of route changes or to see if your route has been impacted, click here and then click on "how is your route changing?"
According to the county, the Better Bus Network will help bus riders by providing access to almost 12,000 more jobs in 45 minutes or less of travel time.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cave and commissioners will gather for the roll-out of phase two Monday at the Stephen Clark Center.
