Introduction: The Power of Partnership and Evidence
In King County, Washington, a powerful partnership between public leaders and University of Notre Dame researchers is transforming how government solves problems, using rigorous evidence to tackle poverty and advance racial equity. The collaboration between the county and the Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) was formed to bring data to the forefront of policymaking. By joining the on-the-ground expertise of public servants with the analytical rigor of academic researchers, they have built a model for generating knowledge that leads to better, more equitable outcomes. This recap explores the mobility challenges facing low-income communities, the design of an innovative study on free public transit, and the profound findings that are reshaping public policy in the Puget Sound region and beyond.
The Context: Mobility Barriers in an Expensive Region
For low-income individuals in the Puget Sound region, the high cost of living creates immense pressure, and transportation costs often become a breaking point. As described by Trong Hang of Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), rising gas prices force families to make impossible choices: attending a medical appointment or a job interview; buying groceries or visiting an elderly parent. This mobility barrier impacts every aspect of daily life. Hang notes that mobility is fundamentally interconnected with what he calls the “four pillars of basic needs”: shelter, food, health, and employment. Compounding this, Maria Gimenez Zapeda of King County Metro adds that for those with very low or no income, even a reduced fare can be unaffordable, leading many to forgo travel out of fear of negative interactions with drivers if they cannot pay. In response to these profound challenges, King County Metro began to architect a solution built not on assumptions, but on a commitment to income-based equity.
The Solution: An Income-Based Approach to Transit
To address this challenge, King County Metro developed income-based fare programs, becoming one of the first large transit agencies in the U.S. to do so at scale. The primary programs include Orca LIFT, which offers a reduced fare for individuals with household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level—a figure representing less than $50,000 a year for a family of three—and the Subsidized Annual Pass, which provides no-cost transit for those with even lower incomes. These programs were built on a clear “theory of change”: by removing the cost barrier to transit, Metro could improve mobility, which would in turn increase access to jobs, housing, and essential services, ultimately leading to greater long-term health and well-being. To test this hypothesis with scientific rigor, Metro and its partners designed a groundbreaking research study.
The Study: Isolating the Impact of Free Transit
To understand the specific contribution of free transit, researchers designed a randomized controlled trial (RCT). As explained by LEO research professor David Phillips, an RCT is a powerful method for answering the “what if” question. It creates two groups of people who are, on average, identical in every way except for one key difference—the program being studied. This allows researchers to isolate the true impact of the program from all the other complex factors in people’s lives. In this study, 1,797 low-income individuals recruited at DSHS community service offices agreed to participate. Through a lottery-style process, one group received the standard reduced-fare Orca LIFT card, while the other group received a special pass for four months of fully subsidized, or free, transit. This design created a unique opportunity to measure precisely how moving from a reduced fare to a zero fare changes lives.
The Findings: Quantifying the Transformation
The results of the study, synthesized by Professor Matt Friedman, were remarkable and demonstrated a clear, positive impact. The data revealed that providing fully subsidized transit passes to low-income individuals unlocked significant changes in their mobility and well-being.
• Doubled Transit Use: The group that received free-fare passes doubled their transit ridership compared to the group with reduced-fare cards. This dramatic increase was persistent during the duration of the subsidy, was consistent across demographic groups, and occurred primarily during off-peak hours.
• Expanded Life Activities: Follow-up surveys revealed that participants used the free transit for a wide array of essential life activities. Beyond commuting to work, they ran errands, visited family and friends, accessed healthcare, and participated in community events, highlighting that mobility is crucial for full participation in society.
• Improved Well-Being: The study found tangible improvements in participants’ lives. Financial data showed modest but meaningful increases in credit scores, a key indicator of financial security. While administrative data on paid work did not detect large changes, participants self-reported significant improvements in their overall well-being across financial, health, and even employment dimensions, showcasing the value of a multi-pronged research approach.
These findings provided powerful, quantitative evidence validating Metro’s theory of change and are now being used to inform permanent public policy.
Conclusion: From Research to a Human Right
The study’s results have provided a powerful evidence base for King County Metro’s philosophy that “mobility is a human right.” The clear demonstration of impact directly informed the launch of the permanent Subsidized Annual Pass program, institutionalizing an income-based approach that provides no-cost transit to the region’s most vulnerable residents. As Trong Hang noted, this credible evidence is critical for making the case to state legislators that funding for transportation is an essential pillar of self-sufficiency. This partnership proves that when evidence and empathy converge, policy can move beyond transactional services to deliver what a community member in their own words called a fundamental human need: dignity.
