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   Dan Wentzel ?️‍? (danwentzel@mastodon.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Dec-2022 12:52:26 JST Dan Wentzel ?️‍?

   I'm not yet convinced that public transit should be $0 to ride.

   Should it be subsidized for poor and low income riders? Absolutely! However, in my experience, people don't tend to value or demand better of a service that they don't pay anything for. How do we prevent a free service from becoming increasingly dirtier and more unsafe since "you get what you pay for"?

   Not to mention shortfalls in transit operations funding.

   I have an open-mind though. Convince me. #transit #publictransit

   • Embed this notice
     Dan Fox (danfox@mstdn.ca)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Dec-2022 12:52:22 JST Dan Fox

     in reply to

     @danwentzel Not necessarily $0 to ride, but don't collect the fare at the point of entry. Bill everyone who benefits, through the property tax system, every month. (Drivers get the most benefit because it removes much of the traffic that is in their way). Fare collection is expensive and clumsy. Also, unemployed person needing to get to job interview: shouldn't be dependant of if they have the funds at that moment.

     Alexandre Oliva likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Dan Fox (danfox@mstdn.ca)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Dec-2022 12:52:31 JST Dan Fox

     in reply to

     • deltatux

     @deltatux @danwentzel You're not "shifting the burden to taxpayers". Taxpayers who ride transit already carry the burden. You are including taxpayers who benefit from transit but don't ride it.

     Alexandre Oliva likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     deltatux (deltatux@tuxz.one)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Dec-2022 12:52:33 JST deltatux

     in reply to

     • Dan Fox
     @DanFox @danwentzel
     
     The property tax system might not work. There are some areas in #Ontario that have 2 tier municipal government where public transit is the domain of the upper tier government. For example, York Region Transit is supposed to serve the entire York Region. Though in reality, there are several towns or sections of towns that don't get much in terms of service or have lost service.
     
     If we have it paid through the property tax system, those who don't get service and must use a car, would end up subsidizing the more urban areas for their "free" transit rides. Public transit in North America is already subsidized, not sure if shifting the rest of the burden on to taxpayers would be fair especially if they can't benefit from the service at all.
     
     It's going to be very hard to convince property owners would be willing to pay for something they cannot benefit at all to subsidize someone in the more urbanized section of the region transit access so they don't need to pay on the bus/train.