Jarrett WalkerApr 18, 2023
On free transit fares, this piece is where I am: We need to focus on better service, maybe with income-sensitive discounts, not free fares for everyone. Exception: For smaller agencies where fare revenue was trivial, free fares may make sense for a while as they recover.
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RT @bloom17_bloom
https://theconversation.com/low-cost-high-quality-public-transportation-will-serve-the-public-better-than-free-rides-202708
https://twitter.com/bloom17_bloom/status/1646885411405418497
Low-cost, high-quality public transportation will serve the public better than free rides

Everyone likes getting something for nothing, but history shows why the math behind free public transit doesn’t add up.

The Conversation
Show threadJarrett Walker
To be clear, as consultants we’re still happy to help any agency think through the free fare issue and come to their own conclusion. My most important view on free fares is that the situation is different in different places, and the right answer will be different too.
Apr 18, 2023 at 1:42pmWeb