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SEARCHNashville’s fare-free, income-based transit pilot hits a major milestone, expanding access and reshaping daily mobility for thousands of riders.
L to R: Michael Kelly, Journey Pass participant; Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell; LaToniza Pritchard, WeGo Eligibility Coordinator - Journey Pass; Natalie Jarrett, WeGo Customer Care; Nashville MTA Board Chair Gail Carr Williams; Kendra Abkowitz, Deputy Chief of Operations - Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Resiliency; Sabrina Sussman, Chief Program Officer - Choose How You Move.
WeGo Transit
Free transit is already changing how thousands of Nashvillians get to work, appointments, and everyday destinations. The numbers are starting to show it.
WeGo Public Transit and the Choose How You Move program reached 10,000 riders for the Journey Pass pilot program in early April. According to the agency, those participants have now taken more than one million rides.
Journey Pass is Nashville’s first-ever income-based fare-free transit program. It gives eligible Davidson County residents free access to WeGo Public Transit, making travel easier and more accessible for people on limited incomes.
"For the first time in our city's history, we implemented a fare-free income-based program, and the impact for Nashvillians has been tremendous. This is transformational," Mayor Freddie O'Connell said. "Journey Pass isn't just delivering you where you need to go, it's delivering financial breathing room, access to opportunity, improved independence, and more connected communities."
“Journey Pass fundamentally changes who can access reliable transportation and how often,” said Sabrina Sussman, chief program officer. “In our growing city, Choose How You Move makes transportation more affordable and reshapes day-to-day life for thousands of people. This isn't just a transit improvement; it's a quality-of-life improvement."
The Journey Pass program was made possible by the 2024 passage of the Choose How You Move transportation improvement program. Nashvillians who have already qualified for housing and nutrition assistance through other departments, such as the Metro Action Commission or MDHA, have been able to enroll in the program.
Registrations are ongoing, but for early participants like Alicia Juncosa, the Journey Pass has been life-changing.
“It’s the most wonderful thing, especially with what I earn,” Juncosa said. “I use WeGo for everywhere I go. I have been only able to do a certain amount of bus trips with the cost. I have even put off some doctor appointments because I didn’t have the money to ride. This changes everything.”
Michael Kelly has been riding the bus in Nashville since 1969. He’s been paying $33 a month for a discount pass. “Now I can go anywhere I want to go,” he said.
Journey Pass is part of the WeGo QuickTicket process, and registration provides oversight of users.
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