Public transportation. Why should it be free? Why should it not be free?

Nothing is free. The buses or trains have to be bought and maintained. Drivers, maintenance people, and office staff have be trained and paid. And so on.

How much tax are you willing to pay in order to provide "free" products and services to people?
 

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Providing free public transportation is a concept with arguments for and against it, including potential benefits like reduced financial barriers for low-income individuals, environmental advantages from fewer car trips, and reduced transit congestion. However, it also faces challenges such as the need for significant subsidies, potential for underfunding leading to service quality decline, and questions about operational costs and resource allocation if ridership increases significantly for short, non-essential trips.
 
LadyEmeraude said:
This paragraph is a copy and paste as follows:

Providing free public transportation is a concept with arguments for and against it, including potential benefits like reduced financial barriers for low-income individuals, environmental advantages from fewer car trips, and reduced transit congestion. However, it also faces challenges such as the need for significant subsidies, potential for underfunding leading to service quality decline, and questions about operational costs and resource allocation if ridership increases significantly for short, non-essential trips.
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One could say the same thing about non-free public transport or the alternative which is streets and highways so those 3 negatives just appear to be a function of how we govern not specific to free public transport.
 
There is zero public transportation where I live. If my car goes in the shop, I have to call on a friend. So I would be willing to pay for public transportation, but can see no reason why it should be free.
 
I guess I’m in the middle on this.

If free public transportation gets a kid to school, a senior citizen to the store or doctor, a worker to an entry level job, etc… I’m ok with it.

Instead of free for all I would favor some sort of bus pass for people that meet whatever criteria is established based on need.
 
I use public transportation, and it isn't free here (except for some special bus routes in the most dense/highest usage neighborhoods), but there are reduced fare programs for seniors, students, and people on SNAP.

On holidays and special events they have no-fare-required days for the buses.

I think it is fair to expect people who can afford to pay to do so. By riding the bus/metro-train it lets me avoid buying gasoline and extends the lifespan of my car (as well as the lower mileage giving car insurance cost benefits), so it evens out nicely.

In general, assuming it is a high density location, it is probably a great savings for the city to lure thousands of people onto the public transportation versus having to build, police and maintain more roads and parking structures.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I guess I’m in the middle on this.

If free public transportation gets a kid to school, a senior citizen to the store or doctor, a worker to an entry level job, etc… I’m ok with it.

Instead of free for all I would favor some sort of bus pass for people that meet whatever criteria is established based on need.
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Thank you, pretty much my feelings. You saved me some time!;)
In Rural NM there are some 'Free' to the rider services: Most Senior Centers (like many around the country) have their own bus. While most clients pay a small fee for meals at the centers they don't pay for bus to/from it. Also there is an organization which provides free transport for Veterans not just to/from Doctors but for shopping outings.
 
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Couple of stray thoughts prompted by this.

Winter of 1966 i was living on Lower East Side of Manhattan. Working x Midtown on East side. i walked 40 blocks to and from for the duration. Strike was 12 days starting on New Year's Day, so depending on what day of week that had been i HAD to walk to work for 7-8 days likely. Thing was i was barely 20 and walked a lot as it was--so i made good time.
And so even when Transit was up again i missed my Subway (because i always was up early and left early since a transfer from crosstown to uptown train necessary) i could walk it and get to work on time. During the strike those of us who were there at usual opening time were dismissed from work earlier without any impact on our pay because the company took our efforts to get there in to consideration.

Anyone else ever hear about when Bus Drivers in a large Japanese City were negotiating for higher wages instead of striking entirely what they did was NOT charge anyone for their ride. This was in part because they were so aware of how many businesses depended on those workers getting there daily on time AND that the other workers needed to get paid. Can't remember how long it lasted. But smart tactic--got more of the public on their side.
 
I don't think public transport should be free. (Except for the busing for kids to school and back.) The reason I say that is because it's not free for us to drive our own vehicles. I do wish it was cheaper since it's not our car and we aren't responsible for the insurance and repairs.

But on that note the fee we are charged to ride is to help pay for that so I'm on the fence. I do feel that it should be cheaper though. It's $5-$7 for Uber to drive me 9 blocks. I can't walk cuz of my lungs. It costs me $20-$22 to go to the mall and back or the eye dr. and back.
 
Fritz said:
I don't think public transport should be free. (Except for the busing for kids to school and back.) The reason I say that is because it's not free for us to drive our own vehicles. I do wish it was cheaper since it's not our car and we aren't responsible for the insurance and repairs.

But on that note the fee we are charged to ride is to help pay for that so I'm on the fence. I do feel that it should be cheaper though. It's $5-$7 for Uber to drive me 9 blocks. I can't walk cuz of my lungs. It costs me $20-$22 to go to the mall and back or the eye dr. and back.
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You can buy most of your everyday items on Amazon. Many grocery stores have delivery system too, or you can use Uber for delivery, use UberEat to order food.
 
Free school lunches, free rides, free medical care - and more - but someone is paying for it. Some of those getting everything free consequently have more in their pockets than the ones working, paying taxes, and paying their own way. Welfare benefits could be worth more than a typical middle-class job.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
Free school lunches, free rides, free medical care - and more - but someone is paying for it. Some of those getting everything free consequently have more in their pockets than the ones working, paying taxes, and paying their own way. Welfare benefits could be worth more than a typical middle-class job.
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Sometimes I feel the same way but after I finish my little pity party I realize just how lucky I am to still be able to make my own way in the world and not rely on the government or the kindness of strangers for my support.
 
I live in Philadelphia. They should pay me to use public transportation because they can't prevent my being killed while riding it.

There have been a number of times when teens with guns have shot up buses and on one occasion, a woman shot the bus driver.

Then there are the people who get robbed, assaulted, pushed onto the tracks in front of oncoming trains in the subways.
 
All depends on the community. If they can sustain it then fine. I've read where some are doing okay. I live in a medium sized city with buses and rail, plenty of discounts and one fee for all day long anywhere at $5 or $1.25 one way, about every 20 minutes. A lot of people with cars use it for convenience, savings and maintenance.
 
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Aunt Bea said:
I guess I’m in the middle on this.

If free public transportation gets a kid to school, a senior citizen to the store or doctor, a worker to an entry level job, etc… I’m ok with it.

Instead of free for all I would favor some sort of bus pass for people that meet whatever criteria is established based on need.
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UK concessionary bus travel provides free travel for eligible pensioners and disabled people, primarily through the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, which allows use of a bus pass on local buses nationwide during off-peak hours. Eligibility is for those of state pension age or with an eligible disability, though local authorities can offer discretionary enhancements like earlier travel times or companions for disabled passholders. Scotland and Wales have separate, similar schemes, while London has its own specific rules for residents aged 60 and over.

England: You are eligible for a bus pass when you reach the state pension age. You can use the pass on local buses anywhere in England from 9:30 AM to 11:00 PM on weekdays and at any time on weekends and public holidays.

Scotland: You can travel for free on registered local and long-distance bus services at any time of day.

Wales: You can get a bus pass when you reach the age of 60.

London: You can travel free on buses and the London Underground when you are 60, but only within London.

Schoolchildren typically do not receive a national concessionary bus pass for general use. Instead, they may be eligible for a school travel pass which is a separate entitlement, usually based on distance from school and financial circumstances.
A school travel pass is a specific pass to get to and from school and isn't the same as the concessionary bus pass for pensioners and disabled people.

The UK operates concessionary train fares, primarily through Railcards, which offer discounts on national rail services for eligible people, and local council-run schemes. These can include discounts for seniors, disabled people, young people, and veterans, though many local schemes focus on bus passes that can sometimes be used for train travel in specific areas.
 

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