Something Surprising Happens When Bus Rides Are Free

Submitted ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone⁩ to ⁨worldnews@aussie.zone⁩

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/opinion/free-bus-rides-mamdani.html

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

Feb. 13, 2026

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.

source

Comments

Sort:hotnew top

Seagoon_@aussie.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
in victoria we already have completely free public transport for the under 18s

transport.vic.gov.au/…/travel-freeeeeeeee

source
- MisterFrog@aussie.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨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.
  
  source
Eyekaytee@aussie.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
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

source
- MisterFrog@aussie.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  
  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?
  
  source
  - Eyekaytee@aussie.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    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
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
- brisk@aussie.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  The “riff raff” are also members of the community that require access to transportation.
  
  source
  - Eyekaytee@aussie.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    they can go by car, leave the rest of us alone
    
    source
maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If you search my comment history for bpc-clone there should be instructions for installing it so you can read paywalled sites. It’s very useful for education and journalism.

source