In the meantime, staff can analyze what it would cost if all bus rides were free, City Commissioner Harvey Ward said. Ward said the estimated annual loss in revenues from giving the young and seniors a free ride only adds up to about $230,000, which isn’t much when compared to the city’s larger budgets. But he said eliminating bus fares for those age groups “speaks directly to equity." The no-fares plan could help young people get to the library or to part-time jobs, and could help seniors get to a doctor or other key destinations, Ward said. Ward said this is not the first time the fare waivers have been discussed and it is time to implement the concept.