Sarah Peper 🏳️‍⚧️🇺🇦Feb 20, 2023

Public transport isn't supposed to make money. It's not even supposed to break even. It's supposed to lose money and to be financed and extended from general taxes because it gives back way more than mere money.

And all the politicians know this because they keep building and maintaining streets for free

Show threadDavid FetterFeb 21, 2023
@jay_peper one of the things that makes it cost more money than it has to is all the mechanisms of fare collection, and that VERY specifically includes all the policing figleafed by fare enforcement concerns. Stop attempting to collect fares, and a LOT of systems would actually cost less to operate. All the ones in NYC, for certain.
Show threadGreg
@davidfetter @jay_peper I heard that in Sydney they spend roughly as much on ticket machines and ticket checking officers as they get in total from fares. So they could make it all free and they wouldn’t save money but it wouldn’t cost money either.
May 22, 2023 at 8:39pmWeb
Show threadDavid FetterMay 22, 2023

@greg @jay_peper they objectively would, though. Those structures take time to engage with, even when you're privileged enough not to be directly assaulted by them, time you can use for useful* pursuits once they're ripped out. Per the financial framework used to make this assessment, that time is money.

*Again, per the framing used to make the assessment, as distinct from one I'd use.

Show threadComrade elronxenuNov 15, 2023
@greg @davidfetter @jay_peper The light rail has inspectors on practically every run. Whereas Melbourne has a CBD-wide free tram zone.