CBS News New York has learned some troubling statistics. Every single day close to 1 million bus riders -- 48% -- board without paying the fare.

We designed the fare-free bus pilot to be a trailblazing program in which the MTA offered free service on five bus lines across New York City—one in each borough, including Blatch’s Bx18.

No serious person believes that the share of New York bus riders who are too desperately poor to afford the $2.90 fare has increased by 40 percent over the past five years.