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

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.
 

OldFeller said:
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.
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Yes, but you got to remember the news will highlight unusual things like that, but just think how many people get killed in cars due to other drivers that are driving crazy, road-raging, drunk, on-drugs, impatient-risk-taking, etc.

Per Google:
Driving a personal vehicle is significantly more dangerous than using public transport, with a substantially higher risk of death or injury per passenger mile. For example, car travel fatality rates are roughly 20 times higher than for commuter rail, 30 times higher than for light rail, and 60 times higher than for buses. ​
 
Not once in the history of the world did public transportation ever break even, or even begin to pay for itself. Of course it should not be free. Why on earth should it be free? We're lucky to have it at all, my opinion.
**Ask not what your country can do for you.
Ask what you can do for your country. --JFK**
 
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Not having any public transportation had a huge negative impact on my life. I was limited to jobs that were in walking distance of my house and my education came to a stop because the local colleges and trade schools were too far to walk. Not having any transportation to the doctor or hospital had a really terrible result for my son when he was a child.

I had, no car, no bus, and no phone for many years. All over the country people are unable to work, get groceries or medical care because of no public transportation in their area.

I would definitely vote to have my taxes raised to provide bus service in my town even though I now have a car. It seems well worth it to me. Free? Yes, I would agree to free tokens for some people.

Our taxes go for many things I would consider less important.
 
HoneyNut said:
Yes, but you got to remember the news will highlight unusual things like that, but just think how many people get killed in cars due to other drivers that are driving crazy, road-raging, drunk, on-drugs, impatient-risk-taking, etc.

Per Google:
Driving a personal vehicle is significantly more dangerous than using public transport, with a substantially higher risk of death or injury per passenger mile. For example, car travel fatality rates are roughly 20 times higher than for commuter rail, 30 times higher than for light rail, and 60 times higher than for buses. ​
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I imagine that if you're sitting on a bus minding your own business and a bullet enters your body, you're first thought wouldn't be "Thank God I wasn't driving, I could've been killed."
 
Aunt Bea said:
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.
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Me too, so I understand what you're saying, while at the same time I keep in mind that government freebies are funded by the working public, including the marginally salaried, from whom those taxes are collected.

And my City certainly would not have the funds to provide free transportation without very considerable tax increases. Right now, they claim they don't even have the money to fix public streets and every day I dodge potholes.
 
I wish they would improve the pubic transportation system in the USA - to be more like UK (from what I'm told)....

But California has been building a high speed rail for several years and billions of dollars later - :oops: naaadaa.....

My hopes are not high. :ROFLMAO:

I no longer enjoy driving, especially at night. I'm not sure what I'm going to do long term, but maybe buy a house near a market? I could just ride a scooter to the store and back. Need a near by doctor too.... 🤷‍♀️ Will be an issue on down the line.
 
in South Australia, public transport has a complex tier of costs - cheaper at non peak times, cheaper if you buy a monthly pass, cheaper for concession card holders, much cheaper for students and free for those over 60 with a seniors card.
There is also a free ring route - ie goes round the ring of the CBD, and free buses at special times like new years eve.

Obviously this is heavily subsidised by taxpayers - it also therefore helps stop traffic clogs and reduces need for parking in the city which benifits non bus/train/tram users as well.

I'm happy with this.
 
Fritz said:
Would you still feel that way if you couldn't drive and had to pay for every single ride?
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Salty said:
Thank you but no thank you. Im not obligated to pay for you to get around. Buy a bicycle. :giggle:
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and of course many users of public transport are not able to use a bicycle for the trip instead - either because of the distance covered and/or elderly/disabled/parents with prams etc
 
Our county is dropping scheduled bus service.....for the whole county. The powers-that-be say it's underutilized to the point that it's not needed. I'm sure there are many people who would disagree with that.

It's being replaced by "on demand" mini-bus service, which already exists on a smaller scale and doesn't have good reviews. They refer it to as "affordable", but "affordable" is in the eye of the beholder.....

There's also Sun Rail, the rapid-transit service, but you have to have a way to get to a station and it can be pricy if you're crossing multiples zones.

Bus service has never been good in the Orlando area. Most buses have always run only once an hour, except for a few very popular routes. Central Florida is definitely a car-dominant area.
 
There are subsidies all over the place. The ones that are most liked and most enjoyed are praised while others are looked down on as handouts, or welfare.

Subsidies for me, none for thee.

If free mass transit is a net benefit to society why not? I would think that would be a rare event vs a rider supported public system.
 
With new suburbs being created more than 40km from the CBD, low-income people who do not have a vehicle or cannot afford to constantly buy petrol then public transport should be free lest those citizens are excluded from society.
Stuck at home. Not a good situation.
Free public transport would see more people visiting the CBD and associated commercial centres.
 
It would be an interesting experiment to provide free municipal bus service for a year or two. Maybe in a small to midsize community. Less demand for parking. Less wear and tear on the roadways. Fewer cars on the road. Take the pressure off the urban commuter.

As a tourist I’ve ended up in a couple of places that had free transportation in core areas. It was a wonderful way to travel to places we would have avoided. It wasn’t just for tourists, residents were using it too.
 

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