Make the Bus Free
Speaking of free transit, Kevin Klinkenberg used the story of Châteauroux as an opportunity to link to his piece from last year promoting the idea of free transit:
But how can the bus be free, you ask? After all, someone has to pay for it.
It’s true. Nothing is ever free. But my proposition is that the basic city bus service that so many places fund would be better off as a basic municipal service, like fire or police. Fund it through a dedicated tax of some kind – sales, property, etc, and don’t bother to charge for the ride itself. Allow me to elaborate.
He makes some excellent points and a compelling case. Considering fares make up such a small percentage of the operating costs, it makes sense to look at things differently. Increased advertising revenue due to increased ridership might even make up the difference! I think it’s an idea worth exploring.
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