Federal workers can now use public transit for free in Rochester

Federal workers will not have to pay to use public transit in Rochester for as long as the government shutdown remains in effect.

The Rochester City Council approved a motion Wednesday authorizing the city’s transit system to waive fares for impacted workers. Government employees can now simply show their federal ID badges to board the bus without paying a fare, according to a transit spokesperson.

At Wednesday’s meeting, several council members expressed concern about how the shutdown has impacted workers locally. There are about 400 federal employees still on the job at the Federal Medical Center, along with another 50 at Rochester International Airport.

“This is a shame that we are using people’s lives to play games,” said Council Member Mark Bilderback. “We don’t need to do that. People work hard, they are proud of their jobs. They should be allowed to do them and they should get paid for it.”

Officials also said Wednesday that City Hall can be used as a central hub for community groups looking to collect donations for federal workers.

Cover photo by Tom Roster/ Courtesy RPT