by Todd Pheifer

Created on: April 07, 2008

We have a problem in this country. Large numbers of people have to get from Point A to Point B. No longer are home, work, school, church and shopping within easy walking distance. Now we have to take cars, trains, busses and other modes of motored transportation to get from place to place. The concept of "public" transportation suggests that it is one of the duties of government to help people to get to where they need to go so they can be productive citizens in a growing economy. Of course, people will debate how much the government should help people with this service. Some might argue that people should pay more, due to the price of gas. Others might suggest that public transportation should be free in order to help people gain access to it. Here are some reasons why people might argue that public transportation should be free.

ENCOURAGING USE

One problem we have in this country, particularly in large cities, is congestion. We have too many cars on the road, and it costs people an immense amount of money to own and operate a car. In addition, it forces people to budget large amounts of time and it is not good for the environment. By making public transportation free, it might encourage use by a broader group of people. This might help to reduce traffic and help people to save more money that they would have spent on an automobile.

STRUGGLING PEOPLE

Some might argue that people choose to take public transportation, which means that they should pay for it. As someone who rode public transportation for a few years, I can attest to the fact that many people who ride public transportation represent groups that do not have access to cars. This is either due to the fact that they cannot drive, or they are not in an economic class that cannot handle the financial burden of a vehicle.

Overall, I think one can make a good argument that public transportation should be free. Granted, the cost has to be covered somewhere and ultimately the taxpayer will feel the cost, but in a free society it makes sense to give people access to geography. By making public transportation free, people can get around. The ability to travel is an important part of freedom.

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