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Public transportation is defined as those transportation systems run, managed, and financed by a governmental agency. Public transportation is government transportation. We have transit authorities, various agencies at the federal, state and local levels. It is essential that we have mass transit in highly populated metropolitan areas and mass transit is provided as a public service. Congested downtowns, over-crowded parking, and the long commutes for many are all ameliorated by public transportation.

Despite the advantages, I must disagree with the statement that public transportation should be free. Observe the oxymoronic nature of this statement. Public transportation that does not charge its riders is paid for by taxpayers. It must be paid for in some way. The old saw, "There is no such thing as a free ride", was never more true than when applied to this statement. I know of no transit system that does not charge its riders, even though administered and operated by the government.

Environmentalists push for the use of public transportation and would probably agree that public transportation should be free. The resultant decrease in individuals driving in major metro areas presents a significant benefit with less pollution, decresed fossil fuel use, and fewer cars in downtown areas. However, again the relative "freeness" rears its head.

In the New York Sun on February 12, 2007 in the article, "Idea of Making Subways Free Advanced by Theodore Kheel", Annie Karni reports, "If New Yorkers don't pay a fee to use the police and fire departments, they should not have to pay to use the city's mass transit system. That's part of the thinking of Theodore Kheel, who last Thursday donated $100,000 to the Institute for Rational Urban Mobility to study how a free mass transit system could save money for the city." As reported by Karni, the most absurd idea on this subject comes from the president of the Institute for Rational Urban Mobility, George Haikalis, who said no one is studying the cost implications of mass transit. "Vertical transportation systems like elevators are free," he said. "The horizontal transportation system is as much a part of our system as the vertical."

Taxpayers in suburban or rural areas would object to paying for city dwellers to use public transportation on their dime. It's hard for some to remember that public services are not free. They are paid for by taxes. Yesterday was "Cost of Government Day 2008" estimated by Americans for Tax Reform,

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