Collecting fares a waste of resources

No farebox on Whidbey Island

...Rare is the system that has taken the time to look and actually calculate: the last one that I'm aware of that did this (in Skagit County, Washington) discovered what Island Transit did almost 3 decades ago: that collecting fares is as or more expensive than the revenue it brings in... Dave Olsen on Planetizen

Planetizen publishes fare-free advocate

Dave Olsen has been a tireless advocate for free public transit for many years. His writing is succinct and inspiring. To read his latest work, go to Planetizen. To read more articles by Dave, and about the Canada fare-free movement here.

Dave's sites: Human Powered Ethical Environmental Consulting

Free public transit - a good stimulus

This is not as far-fetched as it looks. On average, the fare box covers only one-third of the cost of a typical mass transit ride. The rest is made up with dedicated taxes, subsidies from state and local governments, and tolls.
Clearly, if these sources cover two-thirds of a ride, how much do you think taxes, subsidies and tolls would have to rise to take over the remaining third? The answer: not much.
Some of these funds can come from Washington's stimulus package. MarketWatch
Discussion also carried by SLOG

More roads - more war - more cars - more warming

The U.S. Congress is working to generate more fossil-fuel-wasting infrastructure and give out more taxpayer money to buy cars. So there will be more war, more waste, more warming...and by the way, more profit for some companies. Please help make it stop. Join the international movement for free public transport.