Don’t Make Transportation Less Affordable in Massachusetts

As Massachusetts residents face an affordability crisis, lawmakers need to make a course correction to address affordability concerns holistically.

The MA Senate recently voted to extend a 20-cent per-ride fee on all rideshares. There is even debate over whether to raise that fee. While new fees on ride services may be well-intentioned, they often end up hurting the very people they’re meant to help. Rideshares are an essential part of today’s transportation economy, helping people get to work, medical appointments and school at an affordable price while reducing congestion through shared trips.

Expanding a 20-cent “mobility tax” on rideshare trips risks pushing affordability out of reach and placing additional strain on drivers already struggling to keep up with inflation.

We’ve seen this story before. Cities like New York and Seattle, which have adopted similar policies, now face some of the highest rideshare fares and insurance costs in the country.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts drivers already pay more than $3,500 a year for full-coverage auto insurance, and recent data shows those costs are rising faster than gas and groceries combined.

Lawmakers at the state and federal levels must act now to address transportation costs and affordability concerns. State lawmakers should reconsider new rideshare fees and focus instead on improving access to affordable transportation. As Congress considers the federal highway bill, Rep. Seth Moulton has an opportunity to be part of the solution: make car insurance more affordable and pass reforms that rein in lawsuit abuse and preserve accountability.