Ridership up 20% in Lawrence, MA, #freepublictransit "experiment"

Wu is a leading advocate for free public transportation — pointing not just to the economic justice payoff, but also to the environmental benefits. By encouraging more people to ride the bus or hop on the train — ridership is up 20 percent on the subsidized Lawrence lines — free transit can ease congestion and curb greenhouse gas emissions.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/01/01/opinion/boston-lets-make-bus-free/? 

Traffic congestion has reached a ‘tipping point’ in Massachusetts, state officials say

The Baker administration on Thursday acknowledged the state’s epic traffic has reached a “tipping point” and signaled support for major new tools to combat congestion, including allowing commuters to pay to bypass gridlock and reserving bus lanes on highways. 

At a news conference, Governor Charlie Baker released a long-awaited report that concluded what Boston-area commuters already know: Traffic in and around the city is bad, and getting worse.

“No one likes traffic and congestion, period, and it’s a frustrating and inconvenient reality for too many people,” he said.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/08/08/traffic-congestion-has-reached-tipping-point-massachusetts-state-officials-say/M5cixnN2VnnrqNrOjS4zLO/story.html? 

Boston would benefit from fare-free #publictransit

“People are increasingly realizing that the incentives that government provides people are really important in the outcomes that we get in transportation, and we need to be giving people better choices,” said Chris Dempsey, the director of Transportation for Massachusetts. “In a world where we are raising MBTA fares and gas prices are near historical lows on an inflation-adjusted basis, it’s no wonder we have the worst congestion in the history of Massachusetts when those two things are happening at the same time.”
One option is to lower or even eliminate T fares rather than keep raising them. Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu has advocated this approach, saying that eliminating T fares would ease the burden for those least able to pay, reward those doing their part to ease congestion, and help lower harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/isolation-problem-t-fares-rising-faster-than-cost-of-driving/ 

Free Public Transit Would Make R.I. Healthier Economically and Environmentally

ecoRI News: "Thus, I suggest free fares for all who ride the buses. It’s not so far-fetched. Here's why:

About a third of RIPTA passengers — senior citizens and those with disabilities — already ride for free. Allowing the other two-thirds to do so would avoid the need for the multimillions RIPTA is about to spend on new fare boxes, and, despite all the talk of “intermodal,” there are apparently no plans to have a compatible system with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and on processing those fares.

There would be no need to print, market, and distribute transfers and passes. It would speed up trips by speeding up boarding, thus both using buses and drivers more efficiently, and attracting more riders. It can truly put Rhode Island on the map and get the attention of potential progressive employers attracted by the idea of the one statewide free transit system.

RIPTA’s lost fare-box revenue, about $20 million, would be only about one-tenth of what the state is preparing to spend to phase out car taxes. Note commuters to downtown Columbus, Ohio, reportedly will get free bus transit to help reduce congestion and parking problems there. And having lived in Oregon in the mid-1970s when Portland was considered a failed city, one thing that turned around both its downtown and its transit system was a large downtown free fare zone — same in Seattle. Though over decades, its free fare was cut back and they had a problem with transit when it was used as a homeless shelter, but as most of our homeless population can already ride the RIPTA system for free, that won’t be as much of an issue here."

Todd Litman: Walk-friendly cities are smarter

burlingtonfreepress : "He shifted between data sets (fewer car commutes generally correlate with lower obesity rates and more prudent investments in real estate) and sacred cows (do electric cars do anything to solve vehicular-propelled issues of safety, congestion, road and parking costs, sprawl, habitat destruction and the sedentary habits of drivers?).

Litman grew up in Whittier, Calif., steered by the car-cultures of greater Los Angeles.

"You learn from places that have conspicuous problems," he said.

As an adult, Litman moved to Vancouver Island, where he founded and now directs the nonprofit Victoria Transport Policy Institute.

It's a spot he said embodies an underrated virtue: walkability.

Burlington and other Chittenden County urban centers, he noted, openly aspire to that claim."

MBTA eyes discounts for low-income riders in the future

This is an old trick. Means testing. More costly bureaucracy, just to keep an unsustainable autosprawl system going. By making all buses fare-free, a city will save much more in reduced congestion, less parking subsidy, less pollution, and better health than it would "lose" in fare revenue.

The Boston Globe: "As the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority considers fare increases, advocates for low-income residents are encouraging the agency to implement something new in the state: discounts for those customers who have the hardest time paying."

CT Governor admits cars choking the economy, calls it unacceptable.

Governor Malloy: "We have more to do because traffic congestion still costs the average person an extra 42 hours away from your family each year.

And for our economy, it’s the equivalent of 97 million dollars in lost time and wasted fuel, each and every day.

All told roads and bridges that are either deficient or overly-congested cost Connecticut drivers a total of 4.2 billion dollars annually.

It’s harming us and the health of our children with additional air pollution and smog.

Simply put, our investments have not kept pace with our needs, and our residents and businesses are paying the price.

It’s unacceptable. We need a new approach."

More people using #publictransit in Rhode Island

brown daily herald: "The measure would address congestion at Kennedy Plaza and the lack of synchronization between the rail service and the bus service, said Scott Wolf, executive director of Grow Smart Rhode Island. “We are clearly seeing more people turning to public transit as a viable transportation form,” Wolf said. Without a good connection for transfers from commuter rail to the bus service, commuters are forced to “improvise,” which presents a hassle for commuters and paints Providence as a less attractive area for “young talent,” he added."

Portsmouth turns to #freetransit shuttle as cars choke town center

New Hampshire Public Radio: "The city has committed $100,000 to fund a new free shuttle service. A 16-passenger van will transport visitors and downtown workers from a church parking lot located near I95. The pilot project will run weekends only right now."

Wickford Junction open for business in Rhode Island; new transit station offers faster commutes, less congestion - Welcome to the FastLane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation

Wickford Junction open for business in Rhode Island; new transit station offers faster commutes, less congestion - Welcome to the FastLane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation: ""It's a 22-minute ride from Wickford Junction to Providence on the new service. It could take you 45 minutes to an hour on Route 4 and I-95. And also with the price of gas going up and the environment and so forth, it's just a better way to travel.""

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