Monterey-Salinas transit should be fare-free

Subsidies could make MST free public transit

This is about reconceptualizing "leading, advocating, and delivering quality public transportation" (the official mission of Monterey-Salinas Transit). In a typical public bus transit system there are costs attendant to the collection, security and accounting for fare receipt money, the maintenance of fare-gathering boxes, and the printing, selling and checking of passes, ID cards, etc. There is driver distraction also. These costs would not be incurred in a comprehensive transit system where the fare boxes were eliminated and anyone could ride free of charge. Our local Monterey-Salinas Transit would only need to be subsidized the final 28.2 percent, and not even that much would be needed!

The corresponding savings of all the passengers who would not be fueling cars and trucks would mean more transportation was being obtained for the amount of propane, gasoline and diesel fuel coming into the market area. Could anyone forward this idea toward where analysts could determine its feasibility?

-- Charles Wilson Monterey [CA] [letter toMontereyHerald]