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Something Surprising Happens When Bus Rides Are Free (www.nytimes.com)

submitted 1 month ago by maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone to c/worldnews@aussie.zone

10 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/47472940

Feb. 13, 2026

https://archive.ph/gBRoW

Free buses? Really? Of all the promises that Zohran Mamdani made during his New York City mayoral campaign, that one struck some skeptics as the most frivolous leftist fantasy. Unlike housing, groceries and child care, which weigh heavily on New Yorkers’ finances, a bus ride is just a few bucks. Is it really worth the huge effort to spare people that tiny outlay?

It is. Far beyond just saving riders money, free buses deliver a cascade of benefits, from easing traffic to promoting public safety. Just look at Boston; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Kansas City, Mo.; and even New York itself, all of which have tried it to excellent effect. And it doesn’t have to be costly — in fact, it can come out just about even.

If free buses strike you as wasteful, you’re not alone. Plenty of the beneficiaries would be people who can afford to pay. Does it make sense to give them a freebie? Yes, if it improves the life of the city, just as free parks, libraries and public schools do. Don’t think of it as a giveaway to the undeserving. Think of it as a gift to all New Yorkers in every community. We deserve it.

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[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

pretty sure we discussed this previously with brisbanes 50c fares

as far as I know completely free public transport is not a good idea as certain types of people use it to treat the trains/buses worse and make the public who use it feel worse, so having a small fare ensures that the people up to no good are pushed out leaving it affordable but without the riff raff

[–] MisterFrog@aussie.zone 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

without the riff raff

Wtf, this reads truly unempathetic and isn't realistic about the challenges of homelessness and severely poor mental health

Putting words in your mouth, shall we introduce W 50¢ fare for the street so you don't need to be confronted by the failure of our society?

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

riff raff meaning dickheads who treat public transport like shit and the people around them like shit, if you use public transport already you would know them as the sort of people who scratch up the window, play music on their phone speakers and leave garbage all over the seats and spill drinks

this causes less people to take public transport as they take private cars to avoid that shit

[–] MisterFrog@aussie.zone 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Those people are already taking PTV for free haha

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 1 week ago

I duno how I hadn't seen this yet, you might like it:

Why Free buses aren't great - Streets and Scars of City Past

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Gp3n6NnyA

[–] brisk@aussie.zone 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

The "riff raff" are also members of the community that require access to transportation.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 4 weeks ago

they can go by car, leave the rest of us alone