Free Public Transit: Brave Greenpeace needs to address demand side

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Brave Greenpeace needs to address demand side

GreenPeace shuts down Tar Sands Operation

There is no question that Greenpeace activists are brave. There is no doubt that they are bringing attention to environmental destruction. But addressing the supply side of the problem is a losing proposition. As long as there is demand, suppliers will find a way. You, dear reader, can address the demand side by fighting for free public transit in your town or city, or by contacting us to be a blog contributor.

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.