Short thread, a counterpoint: we don’t need a $900k study to tell us that free transit is better; it’s possible & creates a positive social outcome; it’s a balance to road/car subsidies and makes sense if we want to be the bold leaders we think we are; 1/
https://twitter.com/_marksutcliffe/status/1546970122912514048
While it’s easy to have a knee jerk reaction and say “my taxes” the reality is the $ we save holistically on fare collection, enforcement, insurance, processing etc combined with the benefit to society, this likely comes out in the wash 2/
But yes, we need to fix transit; make it reliable and better for #people; we need to address social shortcomings in transit service, social equality and barriers such as #accessible transit; will free transit be the panacea? Nope, but our current model isn’t either. 3/
We need creative ideas to address the challenge of our “world class” system that’s made us a laughing stock or how to ruin a transit system; we need solutions that tie into a broader policy objective of a better city 4/
Free transit might be one of those options; a congestion charge (say, to cross the greenbelt) might be another; free transit w/in a zone & fares to cross zones is another; both might help create stronger communities by encouraging ppl to live/work/shop w/in a hub; 5/
Better road design; better active transportation; better design of lrt stations; more integration w/Gatineau transit (hello Wellington tram); higher parking rates; change in city policy on offering free parking downtown but not comparable free transit….list goes on 6/
TL:DR? Free transit is one of sev tools to create a more just, more equitable city. We know this; we know we don’t need to spend $900k and a year reaffirming this; we know many places/ways we waste $ as a city and further an economic/social divide by unequal treatment.
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