Some Springfield City Councilors are calling on the city to spend some three point four million dollars in federal pandemic relief funding for free PVTA bus service for two years.
The proposal affects only certain routes in Springfield. B7, G2, and B6 would be the designated free fare runs.
Councilors Justin Hurst, Victor Davila, Zaida Govan, Kateri Walsh and Tracye Whitfield are making the proposal. To bolster support for the measure they road the bus from Eastfield Mall to Downtown Springfield before meeting with reporters.
Not everyone is on line with the idea.
PVTA officials say that the free bus service would hinder the PVTA in future expansion and upgrades.
They say a better way to go would be to offer discounted monthly passes.
That proposal is part of a bill that is currently on Beacon Hill.
(Photo Credit: John Baibak, WHYN News)