Mass transit officials have long offered discounts to certain commuters—seniors, veterans and government employees, to name a few. On Sunday, Seattle added people from low-income households to the list.
Under a new program, commuters with household incomes less than two times the federal poverty line pay only $1.50 for most trips on the region’s buses, light rail trains and street cars. The county estimates that the program could save workers who commute during peak hours more than $900 per year.
Seattle, like cities across the country, has seen a growing income gap between its highly-educated residents with high incomes and poorer residents. The commuter program is one of many efforts to assist those on the lower end of that spectrum. The city’s highly-publicized $15 minimum wage, another such effort, takes effect in April.
- Essay: The Tyre Nichols Videos Demand Solemnity, Not Sensationalism
- For People With Disabilities, Losing Abortion Access Can Be a Matter of Life or Death
- Inside the Stealth Efforts to Smuggle Starlink Internet Into Iran
- Natasha Lyonne on Poker Face and Creating Characters Who Subvert Leading-Lady Tropes
- How to Help the Victims and Community After the Monterey Park Shooting
- Why Grocery Staples Are So Expensive Right Now
- Quantum Computers Could Solve Countless Problems—and Create a Lot of New Ones
- Where to Watch All of the 2023 Oscar Nominees
- How to Be Mindful if You Hate Meditating
