Groups Hail Proposed Fare Cut For MBTA's The Ride

Groups representing seniors and people with disabilities are praising a recommendation by the MBTA to roll back fares from $4 to $3 for its door-to-door paratransit service known as The RIDE.

The groups, including Massachusetts Senior Action Council, called the recommendation to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation "an important step towards equity that will benefit thousands of RIDE users."

The lower fares won't become official until after the MassDOT board votes on the recommendations. That vote is expected Dec. 11.

The groups have been fighting for the decrease since fares were doubled last year for most RIDE users, from $2 to $4, with even larger increases for people who live farther from Boston.

The groups have staged protests, including using their wheelchairs to block traffic in front of the State House earlier this year.