1 of 35

Agree

Write now Article Tools

Free public transportation would not create a utopian world as some would have us believe, but it could make life easier for many. This is because personal forms of transportation such as automobiles, will always be the preferred choice of transportation for most people, but making public transportation universally accessible would at least help to establish a better balance within cities.

Why is this important? At the present time many cities across North America and the world experience vehicular grid-lock. That is, no longer do we have a morning and evening rush hour; rush hour is all day long. We have commuters, shoppers, delivery people, taxis, ambulances and firetrucks all competing for use of the city streets. As cities grow, the problems related to movement will get even worse if a solution is not found.

The solution is to alleviate congestion on the streets by having alternate forms of transportation that are actually user friendly. This means making public transit more convenient, more frequent, and at least in the mind of this writer, free.

Many years ago I remember studying geography in high school where a teacher told his class of studies and experiments in public transportation that concluded that free mass transit within cities would likely be cheaper than paid transit. The reasons for this are manifold. Savings on the elimination of salaried ticket collectors and fare systems are obvious. But there are many other reasons relating to efficiencies that could be achieved if the pressure on city streets were to be reduced.

It is unlikely people will abandon their cars unless gas prices go so high that they immobilize the country. But then that's another reason to consider free public transit. We need to start considering not only alternate energy sources, but also more creative means of using what we have. As it is, people waste too much time on their commute to and from work. People love their cars because they are practical and convenient, but when they are boxed in by a million other vehicles for several hours a day, that practicality disappears.

Lost time doesn't mean only personal time lost. Time is money for most trucking companies that service just about every business across every city in the country. If public transit were to become free, there would be greater incentive for people to use it and that would go a long way to free up the roads and make life easier for everyone. If one starts to see the big picture, free public transit no longer falls within the realm of socialistic daydreaming. It can be a most beneficial solution to making cities more functional and livable.

Many cities have tried free local transit in their downtown cores and continue to have it during workdays when congestion on city streets is greatest. If the various government bodies involved in transportation and infrastructural planning could sit down and work together, a free public transportation system might even prove to be a cost-cutting measure, once the cost of maintaining over-used streets and highways is factored in. At this point free public transportation does not have the political will behind it to become a widespread reality. But if circulation problems and all of its related problems such as pollution, lost time and money persist, the debate on free public transportation might no longer seem all that far fetched.

Learn more about this author, Bohdan Rewko (Bo of T.O.).
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Public transportation should be free ?
We want to hear your view. Write now!