Miami-Dade County transit riders will pay $2.75 instead of $2.25 from January 2027, after the county's transportation board approved the network's first fare increase in more than 13 years to close a funding gap that threatened 13 bus routes with elimination.

The Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) says the 50-cent rise, combined with minor Metrorail operating adjustments, will generate roughly $9.2 million. That money preserves service for about 4,200 daily riders and more than 1.3 million annual trips across the routes slated for closure under the fiscal year 2026-27 budget.

The saved routes were scheduled to disappear starting March 2027. They include late-evening service on seven major corridors, Route 279, and five routes serving areas with limited or no other transit options. DTPW prioritized restorations by ridership levels and by whether riders had alternatives, giving first claim to corridors where elimination would leave passengers without any service.

"I am grateful to our residents, riders and County leaders who raised their voices and worked with us to find a path forward," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. "While this is our first fare increase in more than 13 years, we recognize that every dollar matters for working families. The additional revenue will help keep more buses running and preserve the service residents rely on."

What changes and what survives?

Not everything escapes the knife. As part of required cost-saving measures, the county identified 17 low-ridership routes for adjustments beginning March 2027:

• 16 routes keep running but will end service before 10:00 p.m.
• Route 132, whose riders can shift to alternate routes, had already been slated for elimination in the November 2026 line-up change.
• The changes affect about 250 daily passengers and save roughly $1.7 million a year.

The approved FY 26-27 budget adds further reductions touching just over 3,000 riders annually. These include eliminating weekend Route 338, limited-stop routes 203, 204, 272 and 288, and late-night service on another 18 routes. Metrorail passengers will wait 30 seconds to one minute longer between trains during the 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. midday window, according to The Miami Times.

"We heard the concerns from our riders and our community, and we took them seriously," said DTPW Director and CEO Stacy Miller, P.E. "We worked closely with the administration and the board to find a way forward that protects service thousands of people rely on every day and begins to provide much-needed dedicated funding to our system."

How big is the remaining gap?

The fare revenue narrows but does not close the structural shortfall. The county calculates that preserving the routes still facing cuts would require another $7.7 million in funding. DTPW says it will keep working with the board on immediate, mid-term and long-term solutions to address the department's recurring funding needs.

Eligible riders keep their discounts. The county will continue free and reduced-fare programs for seniors, veterans, students, people with disabilities and residents with limited incomes.

Riders will see the new fare in January 2027, two months before the March service changes take effect — meaning the restored late-evening and low-coverage routes roll out under the new pricing in the same window that the 10:00 p.m. cutoffs and route eliminations begin.