JeromePowellAdmirer t1_jbruidp wrote
Reply to comment by Jctexan in CONFESSION TIME: If I know I can make the round trip within the allotted 1 hour I will only activate a single Light Rail ticket by kraghis
World class public transit systems aren't free anywhere in the world
You need fares to fund high service levels
Pushes for fare free transit are good in theory but in reality, the charge cars part will fail to pass and the end result will be lower service
Chico75013 t1_jbufjcm wrote
Not necessarily, it's just a choice of how the system is paid for. A big advantage of free service is that it removes all of the costs associated with fare controls.
JeromePowellAdmirer t1_jbvqihk wrote
The problem is the cost of fare controls is not in the same universe as the revenue generated by fares
If such a fare free scheme were passed, it would have to be passed as a package deal with the revenue - if it's not, the revenue drop will just make them cut service
GreenTunicKirk t1_jbv6tu4 wrote
In Berlin they have subsidized transit across the city. Hop on/off rail lines, trams, buses. All for the price of one ticket.
No it’s not free like you say, but for the cost of one light rail ticket you can go everywhere in Berlin with ease and efficiency.
JeromePowellAdmirer t1_jbvqug7 wrote
That's a different story, allowing one fare to be used across multiple systems is a very good thing as it generates additional trips that wouldn't be done otherwise due to high cost. Since the fare is still existent, those extra trips add revenue which otherwise wouldn't have been there.
Jctexan t1_jc08tc9 wrote
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Just because something hasn’t been done, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. How would things ever be improved upon if we never allowed change? That being said…see point 2.
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https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/14/zero-fare-public-transit-movement-gains-momentum.html
JeromePowellAdmirer t1_jc0a4r8 wrote
> The money will come from surplus tax revenue.
What happens when there is no longer surplus tax revenue? Service cuts. They certainly won't bring fares back to maintain service levels.
Jctexan t1_jc1sgxo wrote
Welp, as long as you're sure, I guess I have no choice but to accept the terrible way we've been doing things thus far.
Sigh. The constant negativity is just so dull. It's so easy to say why something won't work - anyone can find a bunch of reason why something won't work. If we put half as much energy into figuring out solutions, maybe we wouln't be in this mess. We certainly can't progress as a society with that attitude!
JeromePowellAdmirer t1_jc24rdr wrote
There are plenty of solutions, fare free transit isn't one of them until service levels are high enough that risking a cut wouldn't devastate the system. Every single transit system in America has too low service and reducing revenue can't increase it.
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