It was an idea that was pitched in the recent municipal election in Toronto.

In Washington D.C., it will be free to ride transit starting next summer.

Analysts say D.C.’s free fare system offers a good test case on how public transit can be reshaped for a post-pandemic future.

The move to free bus fares in the U.S. capitol comes at a time when other major American cities including Los Angeles, Boston and Denver and states such as Connecticut are considering broader zero-fare policies to promote equity and help regain ridership that was lost with the rise of remote and hybrid work.