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

I love this because it will mean some more young voters who want public transport to be good. Hopefully.

Even if I think overall investment from Vic Labor still prioritises roads over sensible public transport investment.

There are a number of low-hanging-fruit projects they've cancelled, and taking decades to build much needed improvements.

Small tram extensions for interconnections, priority signalling and lanes for trams and busses, etc. 10 minute minimum all day frequencies on trains are already possible.

While I think Skyrail is very lovely and an improvement, it's not actually brought any new connections or frequency improvements, and is as much for cars as it is for public transport users.

Meanwhile we're spending billions upon billions upon billions on new roads. We don't need any new roads.

The only solution to traffic is viable alternatives to driving.