What's so scary about #freepublictransit?

Why is fare-free public transit/transport treated differently from other public goods? Why must there be a user-fee?

The answer lies in understanding autosprawl. Trillions of dollars have been sunk into everything from cul-de-sacs and DIY stores, to ocean tankers and refineries. The web of liquid-fuel fixed infrastructure covers human developed habitat, and controls the flow of the entire economy.

The whole thing is leveraged in debt far beyond recovery.

When oil was cheap, too much was borrowed against the future. Now, cheap oil is draining fast. Every day it takes more joules to get a joule. So now we have super-borrowing to "pay the mortgage."

When people discover the benefits of fare-free public transit, they demand more, and then they discover the subsidy to autos and sprawl. They will reject that subsidy, and demand more fare-free public transit.

This is what has the banks and bondholders shaking in their suites.

What is so difficult about #freetransit

There are people calling for revolution on climate who will not endorse fare-free public transit.

There are people who take free roads for granted who shout "tin foil hat!" when free transit is suggested.

What is the problem?

Fare-free public transit strikes at the heart of capitalism. Today's capitalism is based on corruption and subsidy. The car system is subsidized to the point that people assume that car costs are necessary costs and not subsidy. Even bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure are car subsidy, but people fight for them thinking they are making a change.

When buses are fare-free, many more ride, this is proven. Then the critical mass of the car will be broken, and the subsidy will be exposed.

Many people will lose profits. So basically one of the main fronts of profits vs biosphere is the car.

Why isn't public transit free?

We have been conditioned to think of public transit as a project that needs fares for revenue, but always runs in the red and has to be subsidized.

• Public transit is not a company, it is a public investment
• Since it is not for profit, it can't be called subsidized
• It does not run in the red, it provides benefits that are not counted
• Fares are not for revenue, but for rationing

If fares are removed, ridership will go up. More buses will be needed. They will then be more frequent. That will lead to more ridership. That will increase the need for buses. The needs of cars will have to compete with buses for funding. The critical mass of the system of transport will shift.

Can you see the danger this poses to those who profit from oil, autos, and sprawl?

This then, is the reason that public transit is not fare-free.