Free Public Transit: Bangkok - free transit

Monday, August 4, 2008

Bangkok - free transit - restricted parking too?

Bangkok, Thailand - along with 73 free bus routes and free 3rd class passage on 164 daily trains, now discussing restricting parking space allowance on new development. Bangkok is showing the way...

Building regulations in Bangkok could be changed to reduce parking spaces in condominiums located near mass-transit lines in order to discourage driving and encourage more public transport use.
The proposal by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) aims to allow developers to offer more saleable or usable space in new buildings, where parking areas would be about half the current requirement. bangkokpost.com

Free is Cheaper

How is free transit cheaper? Don't you have to make up for lost fare revenue? The answer is that your city will save so much money in other areas, and quality of life will improve so much that you will get back much more than the lost fares. Some examples are listed below. If you want to see specific numbers, see our spreadsheet here.

Increased return on investment. Public transit involves large fixed costs. When fares are gone, there are more riders per vehicle, getting more value from the investment.
Reduced parking costs. With free transit, fewer people will park downtown. City parking authorities can cost $180 million a year, paid by fines, which are just a tax on customers and delivery services.

Reduced traffic congestion. Studies have shown that the time lost in traffic costs urban economies hundreds of millions of dollars.
Less money exported for gasoline. A medium sized city can export 1 million dollars a day in gasoline money for cars. Free buses will reduce this considerably.
Better quality of life, priceless. In Hasselt, Belgium, when fares were removed, people in hospital started receiving more visitors.