It seems most experts agree that most places are doing transit wrong.
Nice to see Zero Fare Transit mentioned:
> How about $0 fares?
> But some smaller municipalities have made public transit free entirely, deciding the extra municipal spending is a net benefit for residents.
> Orangeville, Ont., saw ridership jump by 150% to 160%
> free fares made “the difference of being able to get bread and milk.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/public-transit-fares-canada-9.7025634
With transit fares on the rise in a number of Canadian cities, some experts say it’s time to rethink how we fund public transportation so that lower-income riders — who rely on it the most — aren't priced out.
Nice to see #ZeroFareTransit / #FareFreeTransit mentioned!
-----
From https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/public-transit-fares-canada-9.7025634
Transit fares are going up. Why do Canadian cities struggle to keep it affordable? | CBC News
> With transit fares on the rise in a number of Canadian cities, some experts say it’s time to rethink how we fund public transportation so that lower-income riders — who rely on it the most — aren't priced out.
Iowa City’s fare-free bus program has been extended for another year after a successful two-year pilot saw ridership surpass pre-pandemic levels by 18 percent. The program led to 1.8 million fewer miles driven and a drop in emissions equivalent to taking 5,200 cars off the road.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/climate/iowa-city-free-buses.html
#urbanism #urbanplanning #FareFreeTransit #PublicTransit #IowaCity
I hope you don't mind if I add #ZeroFareTransit and #FareFreeTransit hashtags to gather a few more eyeballs from fellow #PublicTransit advocates...
(and if you do mind then I'll delete this post)
I've been a fan of #ZeroFareTransit for a long time. I've mostly been on the side that the cost of fare collection (fare boxes, administration, fare enforcement) exceeds the revenue, so it's nice to see some documentation that zero fares actually increase a municipality's revenue.
You know, I might actually support 'Axe The Tax' if it came in a package including ending fossil fuel subsidies, divestment of that pipeline boondoggle, and a job retraining program for fossil fuel workers moving into renewables. Oh, and implementing #ZeroFareTransit! Who knew that #FareFreeTransit was so popular?
Wow!
> Three years after making headlines for becoming the first U.S. city to ban new gas stations, Petaluma makes another stride in progressive transportation by becoming the first city in the Bay Area to make all bus services free.
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/petaluma-free-bus-services-19563687.php
I'm adding #ZeroFareTransit and #FareFreeTransit to this most excellent thread.
I hate to see people lose their jobs, but Oh, how much money everyone would save when passengers don't pay fares and no fare enforcers are needed, nor fare ticket agents, nor fare collectors, nor fare vending machine repairers and fare deposit machine repairers, and fare bookkeepers and accountants...
Three fare enforcement people on this D Line headed south at Dravus #Seattle #FareFreeTransit
Edit: these might have been security people only since I didn’t see them check fares. It was confusing.
Bob Jonkman
Urbanism Now
Laura Loe (Seattle)