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The passage reports varied outcomes: ridership rose “most” on routes tied to essential services (colleges, hospitals) but changed little on express lines, while maintenance costs increased due to more frequent cycling. Despite costs, satisfaction rose among low-income riders who previously restricted travel. Synthesizing these threads yields B: fare-free buses can expand access for specific populations even as some costs climb. Option A contradicts the stated increase in maintenance costs. Option C cherry-picks a category and reverses the evidence (express lines “changed little”). Option D opposes the surveys showing higher satisfaction among low-income riders. On Nelson–Denny main-idea tasks, integrate effects (ridership patterns), trade-offs (costs), and stakeholder responses (satisfaction) rather than fixating on a single detail. The correct choice usually balances these elements and mirrors the neutral, reportorial tone of the passage without overgeneralization like “always” or sweeping claims about all routes.