MBTA partners with Tufts University to provide unlimited access to subway, buses for some students

MEDFORD, Mass. — Starting this fall, undergraduates at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University will get to ride the T for free.

The new pilot program between the MBTA and Tufts is the first of its kind offering a fare transit benefit for students.

During the two-year pilot, undergraduates at School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts will have unlimited access to subway and local bus services, with their trips fully funded by Tufts.

Participating students will be automatically enrolled and will receive their University Passes on a CharlieCard.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Tufts University on the University Pass, and are grateful for their support in fully funding subway and local bus trips for hundreds of SMFA undergraduates this fall,” MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng said in a statement.

“Increasing easy access to public transit means better access to classes, internships, and recreational opportunities; it is freedom to opportunity and we hope SMFA at Tufts students take full advantage of the T, making it part of their daily routine,” Eng said.

“Our students need flexibility when choosing how and when to travel between our Medford/Somerville campus and SMFA at Tufts in Boston,” Barb Stein, Tufts University’s vice president for operations, said in a statement. “The MBTA’s Green Line is uniquely positioned to provide direct service between Medford and SMFA at Tufts at a frequency that private shuttle service just can’t match. With the University Pass, students can feel confident in the knowledge that both the MBTA and our Tufts’ shuttle service are at their disposal when choosing how to travel.”

Similar to the MBTA’s Pay Per Use program for employers, the University Pass pilot with Tufts is a usage-based fare program designed specifically as a travel benefit that universities can offer their students each semester, officials said. The University Pass is divided into two one-year terms with the first year’s fare prices based on estimated student ridership data and the second year’s fare prices determined through ridership data that the MBTA will collect during the first year.

With usage-based pricing through the University Pass, Tufts will pay a flat monthly rate to provide students with flexible access to the MBTA, officials said. After the two-year pilot term, the MBTA will evaluate options to potentially expand the pilot further.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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