by Lester Nixon

Created on: December 05, 2007

The government can play a positive role when it comes to making public transportation free because of the benefits it offers to society as a whole. .Funding free transport for those people who commute for example would help to keep cities free of smog, and make them safer places to be. If you take for example the number of cars which travel towards the downtown area of major metropolitan areas on any given day with only one occupant, the wastage of fuel and the pollution this causes tells us that it is common sense to fight waste by investment in something worthwhile.

Cab companies already use advertising, so does many public bus systems to defray operating costs. Increased use of advertising and support from business communities could make free public transportation a reality.I'm sure passengers would not mind more well placed, tasteful, advertising on trains and buses if it meant free public transit and the benefits to each town would go further than just costs of transport.

On buses, more ads could be placed on bus exteriors and the roof ( so people in high rise offices, condos and apartments could see it, and be made aware of park and ride schemes available free of charge to responsible residents of the suburbs. The same could be done for train systems most could be rapidly changeable ads ( like we see at sporting events on scoreboards and side boards) and maybe a large sign with quick change advertisement could be installed on trains and buses to spread the word. The same type of signs could be placed on the interior of buses and trains video adds and audible adds could be used also. TV's are on buses in the Chicago metro area with adds already.more advertising dollars could be brought in.

Possibly on trains and even buses, machines could be installed that collected fares by token supplied by the government and free ride passe . At least it could be tested for a while to see what amount of revenue it would save the country on extra fuel and also the atmosphere could be tested for pollution. Machines could also be encouraged to accept credit and debt cards from companies wishing to pay for tokens for their staff.

Some brochure and pamphlet displays ( as many local, feeder and private community, senior, veterans, etc centers currently have.a fee ( minimal) could be paid to the transit companies for the privilege of being allowed to put brochures etc. in displays on trains and buses. Rides could be sponsored by large business and corporations. businesses benefit from people riding public transportation to patronize them, so do doctors, hospitals, collages, etc. colleges ( even community colleges) are financially doing very well to sponsor a week or months of free rides would benefit them and give them great publicity!

If buses, trains, van pools, etc used alternative fuels (methanol, ethanol, natural gas, electric), this could cut their fuel costs, provide publicity for these alternative fuels, help the environment and more! Private citizens willing to do so, especially affluent individuals, could sponsor rides for free towns and villages with corporation headquarters located with in theses villages and towns could easily do so!

Free public transportation is possible if we can get together on this and really want it! With increasing gas prices, traffic jams , etc increasing all over the country, we all may really want and need free public transportation soon! I feel more people would use it!

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