#freepublictransit in Tallinn spread to 11 counties in Estonia with 32% ridership increase

The success of the scheme in Tallinn led to a demand for free public transport elsewhere in Estonia, and legislation was introduced to allow it to be introduced on a county by county basis. When the legislation came into force on in July last year, 11 out of 15 counties opted to provide free transport. In those counties, public transport trips increased by an average of 32% in the second half of 2018.

https://balticword.eu/tallinn-provides-free-public-transport-for-420000-people/

This is why free public transit is so scary to the banksters who have bet too much on oil and sprawl. Free public transit leads to more efficient cities, which leads to more public transit, and so on. They can't stop it.

People love #freepublictransport in Dunkirk, France

In September 2018, the French city of Dunkirk, with a population of just over 90,000, and a total of 257,000 in its metropolitan area, launched a free bus system for residents and visitors, since when it has succeeded in drastically reducing private car use.

An academic study on the experience shows that bus use has skyrocketed more than 60% on weekdays and more than doubled on weekends, with 48% of users saying they now leave their cars at home. Furthermore, 5% of those surveyed said they have sold their car or decided not to purchase a second vehicle. A third said that the availability of free buses means they now make trips they wouldn’t have otherwise. This increased demand is not due solely to the availability of free and convenient transportation, but also to the fact that it is frictionless: people don’t have to worry about travel cards, cash or identification.

https://medium.com/enrique-dans/is-free-public-transport-in-cities-the-way-forward-d81662dfbd5c 

Ridership up 57% where fares free for youth

Kids are riding public buses more in Montgomery County after officials made Ride On and Metrobus service free at all times of the day for people under 18. That’s according to new ridership data shared with the county council during a hearing on the program on Thursday. 

The council expanded the Kids Ride Free program to cover the full day in July 2019. Previously, kids were only been eligible for a free ride from 2 to 8 p.m. — after school hours. That meant that students who took public buses to school in the mornings had to pay the fare.

https://wamu.org/story/20/01/23/in-montgomery-county-students-are-taking-advantage-of-free-public-buses/ 

You can have fare-free AND expand service

Making buses fare-free is the quicker route to better service. If we wait for better service first, we will wait another 100 years, because it took us 100 years to get to this mess, and many people have been fighting for better service all that time.

The trolls are saying that once the system is fare-free there is no money for expansion. The facts do not support this claim. Here are some examples to the contrary:

Nine cases of fare-free service leading to expanded service:
https://fptsuccess.blogspot.com/search/label/%23expand

Here is a list of troll arguments and links to refutations:
https://farefreeeu.blogspot.com/p/anti.html

Fares are for rationing, not revenue

Here is more evidence that fares are for rationing, not revenue. Fares are user-fees. User fees are a device to prevent overuse of misuse of a service. Sometimes user-fees are useful and necessary to ensure that a public service accomplishes its goal. In public transit, the goal should be to increase ridership, as that lowers the unit cost and gives a better return on the public investment.

Evidence from Edmonton’s previous fare increases demonstrates that raising fares to fund the system prices people out of using the service. The City’s own numbers show that the last time they raised fares in 2016, the city estimated that over 400,000 fewer rides would be taken and their projections show that an additional increase to $4 in 2021 from the current rate would decrease yearly rides by 280,000. 

In a city that already suffers from chronically low mode share for transit, this is not just counterintuitive, it’s setting us up to fail on increasing ridership and decreasing emissions. 

Edmontonians deserve a transit system that they can rely on. As we move towards a just, green future, let’s make fare-free transit the reliable, accessible option.

https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-make-transit-free-for-the-sake-of-our-climate-and-community 

Hannover, Germany, 60% ridership increase in #freetransit test

According to initial findings, a good 60 percent more passengers would have used public transport than on another Saturday in the fall, according to Ustra's CEO Volkhardt KlOppner. 

https://www.en24.news/en/2019/12/01/free-public-transport-60-percent-more-passengers-ndr-de-news-lower-saxony.html

Town of Maricá, Brazil, free system has 17,000 passengers per day, now adding 9 buses

Since 2013, when it was created, the EPT fleet has made over 15 million trips. Per day, the system carries 17 thousand passengers.

  
https://www.marica.rj.gov.br/2019/11/13/novos-vermelhinhos-entram-em-operacao-na-proxima-sexta-feira-15-11/

Having more riders makes public transit better

Prompted by concerns over congestion and pollution, the European countries of Estonia and Luxembourg already offer it, and Germany is considering it. Removing fares clearly makes transit more desirable; when Talinn, Estonia’s capital, adopted free public transportation in 2013, ridership immediately spiked 10 percent. Such ridership gains would certainly be welcome in the United States, where 31 of the 35 largest transit agencies saw passenger counts dip in 2017. Unlike most goods, transit gets better with heavier usage because more frequent bus and train service will reduce wait times.

https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2019/02/washington-fare-evasion-free-public-transport-train-ticket/582160/ 

Dunkirk, France, ridership up 60% with fare-free public transportation

An academic study on the experience shows that bus use has skyrocketed more than 60% on weekdays and more than doubled on weekends, with 48% of users saying they now leave their cars at home. Furthermore, 5% of those surveyed said they have sold their car or decided not to purchase a second vehicle. A third said that the availability of free buses means they now make trips they wouldn’t have otherwise. This increased demand is not due solely to the availability of free and convenient transportation, but also to the fact that it is frictionless: people don’t have to worry about travel cards, cash or identification.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2019/09/15/is-free-public-transport-in-cities-the-wayforward/#5510baba00ee 

Ridership soars with fare-free #publictransit

Since the introduction of free public transport in Tartu County last July, the number of bus passengers on county routes has seen significant growth, regional Tartu Postimees reports.

A total of 131,269 passengers used the free regional bus service in July 2018, up 35.2 percent on year from 97,083 in July 2017, Tartu County Public Transport Centre management board member Tõnis Piir said. This July, the number of passengers using the county's free transport totaled 153,049, indicating a further 16.6 percent growth on year in ridership.

https://news.err.ee/973636/free-public-transport-in-tartu-county-sees-ridership-soar 

Fare-free system's ridership, 12 consecutive months of double digit growth

Ridership on Breckenridge’s free public transportation system exploded in May with a 39.5% increase compared to May 2018, based on figures included in a memo produced by town staff.
Overall, that equates to almost 48,000 rides for the month compared with just over 34,000 in May 2018. It puts the town’s transportation system at more than 600,000 rides year-to-date, a 17.7% increase compared with the same time frame last year.
According to town staff, this marks the 12th consecutive month of double-digit growth for the Free Ride system.

https://www.summitdaily.com/news/local/breckenridges-free-public-transit-system-sees-nearly-40-jump-in-may-ridership/ 

Young Green-New-Deal supporter says it must include fare-free #publictransit

To start, in order to facilitate a transition away from fossil fuels, the Green New Deal must include a provision moving toward fare-free public transit.

While it sounds radical and downright unaffordable, it’s been done in several cities around the world with success. Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, is a city of well over 400,000 inhabitants and has had free public transit for locals since 2013. Chapel Hill, North Carolina has had free bus transportation since 2002 and in doing so, has increased their annual ridership from 3 million to nearly 7 million. Many smaller jurisdictions, including 56 small cities across Europe have implemented fare-free public transportation programs.

http://www.dbknews.com/2019/02/11/green-new-deal-free-public-transportation-metro-ocasio-cortez-bowser-climate-change/ 

Dunkirk, France, fare-free buses increase ridership by 50 to 80%.

Studies have shown that in addition to reducing air pollution within the port city limits, free public transit has increased mobility amongst older and younger residents and increased feelings of freedom.
... 

“I never used the bus before,” one passenger told The Guardian. “It was too much bother getting tickets or a pass. Now I leave the car at home and take the bus to and from work. It’s so easy.” 

The news outlet goes on to say that passenger numbers have increased between 50% to 85%, depending on the route. Passengers have also taken advantage of the public spaces by having more conversations with strangers.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/largest-european-city-to-offer-free-public-transit/ 

Candidate calls for #freepublictransit in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Jurisdictions with free transit have seen increases in ridership, reduced commuting times, lower greenhouse-gas emissions and better service. A free system also offers savings through decreases in fare enforcement and collection costs; imagine what could be done with the millions the city spends each year on the Presto system.
Those who take a narrow view of public transit ask how we can possibly pay for transit without squeezing the riders. This question is never asked when we talk about expanding road infrastructure, for which we pay $50 million a year.
We don’t ask our roads to make profits. Why treat public transit differently?
Free transit would make our city safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Accessible public transit would increase access to employment, and participation in the social, political and cultural life of the city. Equitable and reliable public transit is a public good.
Changing the old ways at City Hall won’t happen overnight. We can start with free bus routes along Bank Street. We can start by guaranteeing free transit to those who need it the most but can’t afford it.
I have promised to fight for our city and that fight must include a move to a truly free and a truly public transit plan.

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/menard-heres-why-im-supporting-fare-free-public-transit 

Shawn Menard, a former senior staffer for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is a candidate in Capital ward for Ottawa city council. Follow him at @Shawnmenard1 or https://www.shawnmenard.ca

Estonia bus ridership soars with introduction of fare-free idea

...On the other hand, Southeast Transport Centre board member Sander Saar observed that while it was previously thought that the bus schedule was the issue — that bus times weren't a good fit for riders — the increase in ridership following the introduction of free transport supports the fact that it was ticket prices that were a greater issue for riders.
...
For example, county bus ridership on year increased 56% in Viljandi County, 32% in Põlva County and 16% in Võru County, indicating that one goal of the introduction of free public transport, to halt the drying up of bus services in rural areas, has been achieved....

err.ee

In general, in the US, #publictransit is poor. One exception, Chapel Hill, NC, where it is fare-free

redgreenandblue.org At the time, most of Chapel Hill Transit’s revenue was coming from the University of North Carolina’s paying for transit for its employees and students. The university agreed to pay a little more and Chapel Hill and Carrboro kicked in the rest to cover the 20 percent of the transit costs not paid by tickets.

“We look at it as a pre-paid fare program,” Brian Litchfield, interim director of Chapel Hill Transit, which serves both cities, told Eric Jaffe of CityLab in 2013. “The university is pre-paying for all their employees and students to ride. The town of Chapel Hill and Carrboro are pre-paying their fares via property tax and vehicle registration fee. So while there’s not a fare to get on the bus, it’s definitely not a free system.”

The program has been phenomenally successful. Ridership increased from around 3 million passengers a year in 2002, to about 7 million in 2013.

Town in France finds #freepublictransport a big success

CityLab : "In 2015, Vergriete’s administration launched free weekend service. It was a popular move: Saturday ridership increased by 30 percent, and Sunday ridership by some 80 percent. People loved it, telling local media that they saved money and time by avoiding the stress of parking."

#Freetransit idea spreading fast across Poland, ridership is up, congestion down.

Here is a 22 minute video from Tallinn TV on the benefits of free public transit in Poland. Staring at minute 12:33 it is in English.

"It's not more expensive, it is cheaper, and ridership is up by 4 times."

It will cost more as more people ride, but it is the best use of public funds. It is only 1.5% of city budget (Zory).

Listen up, America: It’s time to starting making mass transit free!

Salon.com: "For bigger cities, the principal motivation for scrapping fares is not to save money but to increase ridership, and harvest the associated positive externalities: less traffic and pollution, more parking and mobility. In the handful of American cities where such programs have been tried on a short-term basis, the ridership surges have been huge. When Topeka made transit free for May of 1988, ridership rose 98 percent. When Austin made transit free for the fall of 1990, ridership increased by 75 percent. A similar experiment in Asheville, in 2006, recorded a passenger surge of 60 percent."

Citylink Edmond ridership nearly triples » Local News » The Edmond Sun

Citylink Edmond ridership nearly triples » Local News » The Edmond Sun: "EDMOND — Ridership on Edmond’s relatively new public transit service has nearly tripled during its first year, a city official said.

During Wednesday’s City Council workshop members of the Edmond Public Transportation Committee, chaired by Councilman David Miller, discussed the increase in ridership with Citylink Edmond.

The city’s new free public transportation service, managed by McDonald Transit, began operating in July 2009, and currently manages eight buses equipped with bike racks and wheelchair tie-downs, according to the city. Two Expresslink buses seat 30 passengers each while the six local route buses can carry 19 passengers each."