IN ALL FARE-NESS! Hochul, Mamdani Beef Over Mayor-elect’s Free Bus Rides: Report

That was fast.

According to a New York Post report, New York Governor Kathy Hochul is already throwing cold water on NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s free bus rides.

Hochul, speaking during a press conference at the SOMOS political retreat in Puerto Rico on Saturday, argued she has already put vast sums of money into the perpetually cash-strapped MTA for major projects.

“We’re spending a lot of money, so I cannot set forth a plan right now that takes money out of a system that relies on the fares of the buses and the subways,” she said.

“But can we find a path to make it more affordable for people who need help? Of course we can.”

Mamdani sidestepped questions Monday about his growing rift with Gov. Kathy Hochul over New York City’s bus system.

“I continue to be excited at the work of making the slowest buses in America fast and free,” Mamdani said at an unrelated press conference. “And I appreciate the governor’s continued partnership in delivering on that agenda of affordability.”

But Hochul’s “cautious bus route” marks the latest divide between the moderate Democrat and the self-proclaimed democratic socialist she once embraced.

Hochul eagerly rode Mamdani’s momentum after endorsing him in September, celebrating his affordability pitch, but she’s recoiled from his follow-through.

The governor has quietly rejected much of Mamdani’s wish list, especially his plan to tax the rich to fund $10 billion in “freebies” like universal child care and fare-free transit.

More over at The New York Post:

Hochul slams brakes on Zohran Mamdani’s free NYC bus plan: ‘Takes money out of a system that relies on fares’ https://t.co/IzNW34FsLt pic.twitter.com/E6DfbHuhAF

— New York Post (@nypost) November 10, 2025