USA Today
The nation's capital has become the largest U.S. city to announce plans for permanent free bus service along all routes, citing a desire to increase ridership.
The $2 bus fare will be waived starting July 1, 2023, after the D.C. Council's unanimous vote is finalized later this month.
The announcement comes after Kansas City, Missouri, launched its permanent ZeroFare program in March 2020 and Albuquerque, New Mexico, began a yearlong pilot in January, which has been extended through summer 2023.
Boston and Denver also have had short test runs of free public transit in 2022.
In Washington, there were about 180,000 bus rides a month this year through October, according to data from the transit authority. Pre-pandemic, the number was about 410,000 a month.
There's evidence waived fees bolstered ridership in Kansas City, a stated goal when the program was announced in late 2019. The system's ridership "decreased less" after COVID-19 hit compared to similar transit systems and recovered more quickly in 2020, according to an analysis from the the Mid-America Regional Council.
Worcester, Massachusetts, and Alexandria, Virginia, (a D.C. suburb) also top the list of cities that have waived bus fees.
Worcester went fare-free in March 2020 and has extended the program through June 2023, according to its regional transit authority. Alexandria began its fare-free program in 2021.
In Olympia, Washington, bus fare is free as part of a multiyear pilot, which could go through the end of 2027, according to the transit system.
To read rest of article, click on link: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/12/16/washington-cities-free-bus-service/10889269002/
29 comments:
No question it should. Brownsville does little (at least openly, that can be discerned) for its people. Rip-offs, yes. With BPUB, especially. Do it. Try it for a year.
McAllen is considering this, although it currently offers cheap 50-cent rides for seniors and the disabled.
Be bold, Brownsville. You blew off the bus shelters; do this.
Shit, if Albuquerque can do it....so can we!!!
Come on, COB. Get on the stick!!!
(Dare to create true community.)
in the mountain region everything is free, even toilet paper. fact
Brownsville would likely get more riders and make for better use of those always empty buses. It's the same fuel they'll use!
Time has come today.
🚍
100 % yes. It is sad the COB never pushed for Pat Ahumada's idea of free advertising an any bus shelter for the company willing to pay the cost. The real sad part about Pat is he seems to know more than anyone else about the people, but he alienates people. He could have been a great mayor.
Think about our drought situation if he did not have to deal with all the idiots on the city commission against the weir dam. SpaceX would have all the water it needs. The new development East of 511 in the county would have all the water it needs.
On that note it is time for our county commission to change state law on zoning in the county. This will need the help of both our state reps and state senator. It will mean tons of tax dollars for the county. Who wants to build a million dollar home on a few acres knowing under state law a junk yard can buy the land next door and fill it with junk?
bobby WC
Crime is a big factor in bus ridership in DC. Expect more human trash and crime if that happens.
I find riding the bus a simple pleasure. Have seen no crime and no misbehaving punks. You'd have to worry about that, but a few arrests would end it.
I say go for it.
I'll say it again: go for it.
Pilot program adds 60,000 riders in one month -
Olympia, Wash. embraced free bus service this year, which previously cost $1.25 for a typical adult ride and $3 for an express bus from Lakewood to Tacoma.
The “Zero-Fare Demonstration Project,” which involved two-and-a-half years of strategic planning, went into effect on Jan. 1 this year and will last for the next five, at which point the city will re-evaluate the project’s impact.
Bring in Danny Trejo he'll take care of any problems, but first only if all bike trails are up to par if not fix em first. Bike trails are very important part of our life.
try it for a month, for 6 months or for a year - but try it.
(would like to see which city commissioner would vote against it, or mayor)
ARGENTINA CAMPEON DEL MUNDO!!!
Derrota a Francia con penales....
Yes implement it
The homeless will ride the bus all dY for the free air-conditioning and/or heat in the winter.
Go for it but once you give something it's always hard to take it away
Republicans oppose free bus service.
fact.
Cowboys suck the big dick, lose to lowly Jacksonville in overtime.
Pick-6 ends it. same ol' loser Cowboys.
FOX News Republican Tucker Carlson let Mike Tyson smoke a truckload of weed at his house.
(Because that's who he is)
‘Good Morning America3′ anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach won’t be back to show until at least 2023. Affair gets in the way.
Boy'll enjoy white pussy until then.
Very few people actually use the transit system in this city. Not worth the time and effort. Get rid of it. Instead, buy those that are truly in need of transportation a bike. We already have plenty of areas throughout the city designated for bike usage.
You haven't seen any crime on the bus because no one is ever on the bus.
the buy everybody a bike is a better idea bike trails have NO potholes.
They just kicked a guy off the bus this week as he was STONED DRUNK and had an 18 pack of beer.
All modes of transportation from buses, trains, planes, cars, subways, bicycles, even walking, all require a homogeneous self-disciplined respectful society in order to function properly. Look at old pictures of the insides of subway-cars, you see non racially ambiguous people reading the newspaper, keeping to themselves, being quiet and respectful. Nowadays, you got savages smoking crack and weed, blasting music off ghetto hood rat music off their phones at full volume mumbling along the lyrics and bobbing their heads like a balloon tied to a string. You better hope those burdens to society don't have a knife or a stolen pistol when they ask you for money or your seat. I blame Rosa Parks for the degenerated the US transportation system, those people belonged in the back like cattle on the way to the slaughter house!
no honking horns by los pendejos I hope they continue losing bola de babosos. put a immigration check station at international and southmost y se acaba ese pedito.
food stamps will include the purchase of a bike one per family. coming soooooooooon and its frrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.........
No body has mentioned red lights take the bus and give yourself 4 hours to get where you are going and don't forget the brown bag lunch.
@7:30 AM
Go back in your hole, the hole you came from - your mother's asshole!
Now, dumbass!!!
@December 19, 2022
Ah now I see you have a vore sexual fetish. Go on rule34 if you want more of that stuff you demented pervert. Also, >Reddit spacing, it doesn't make your points look more important. Go check on your cuckold posts.
La bruja has the purchasing department look for a bus-bike to purchase for the city. GOOD LUCK.
Here people use the bus either to go pickup their welfare check or to go to la catorce and/or downtown cantinas.
NOTHING ELSE!
SHUTITDOWN
Need someone to audit the bus stop signs. there are some places where there are bus signs but no service. Heard of people relying on the bus to stop but the location where the street sign is posted has been discontinued. Please someone correct this.
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