Transit advocate takes on child-hating trolls

Mickinlondon, how will making countless millions of free public transport journeys every year cost money not affect fares in general?
Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent.

Well Kevin; the buses run to time tables etc, if they are full or empty; it matters not; they still run to time tables etc.

By many children going by bus; this reduces mothers driving them to school in cars etc; but I agree not all etc.

School hours differ from adult working hours; hence at school time periods, many buses run empty etc.

Its much the same with old people; they tend to use buses out of rush hour etc, and mostly mid day periods etc.

So you see the running costs of empty buses, is much the same running cost as full buses etc; this leaves the cost issue of using buses to their max capacity and cost, and very debatable as to the reason for fare rises etc.

One thing is for sure; with or without children and the old getting free rides; your fares will increase anyway, due to other costs involved; much like fares are increased on trains etc, without children or the aged using them free etc.

I drove a bus once; and you would be surprised at how often they run empty, but I still got paid the full wage etc, and the bus still used fuel etc, that is a fact; Kevin.

So free bus rides for some; are a red herring when it comes to fare increases etc.

- mickinlondon, london, 18/06/2010 14:28 Evening Standard

Sevastopol, Russia, Campaign for Free Public Transport

May 29 picket Square Povstantsiv Crimean group "Autonomous Action" launched a campaign "FOR FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT. Carrying picket was timed to the intention of the city authorities to raise fares on public transport, in particular to raise fares in the city trolley with the current tariff 75 kopecks to 1 hryvnia. About these intentions deputy chairman of City Administration Igor Loktionov...
...We declare that our campaign will continue.Taxes that are lined with people and without that - a heavy tribute to the officials. Now they want to make our lives more difficult, increasing under fictitious pretexts fare. "Autonomous Action - Crimea" categorically in favor of preventing price increases in public transport, as well as against the appointment of the Director of SOE Sevelektroavtotrans "monopoly trucking in Sevastopol. Public transport is called the public that it provides the basic needs of society.Therefore, it should not be regarded as a way to profit. Public transport should be cheap, but in an ideal - free of charge....


Read more..at http://www.avtonom.org/en/node/12489 and http://ad-crimea.livejournal.com/

All benefit -- make it fare-free

I read with incredulity and disgust Alastair Dalton's report (21 May) that train fares are to rise by 1 per cent above inflation, currently 5.3 per cent.
I recently travelled to Brighton to speak to the annual conference of the Public and Commercial Services union. The standard class return ticket, booked online and in advance, cost £220. Furthermore, as Edinburgh Airport was closed that day because of volcanic ash, the 10:30am London train resembled those we see in the third world.
Dozens and dozens of passengers, young and elderly, were left crouching in the aisles. I was one of them. I reserved a seat, but gave it up to a young French woman and her infant who, having visited Edinburgh, were on their way home.
The speech I gave to the PCS conference the next day outlined the case for free public transport as the most effective way to combat the greenhouse gases emitted by motor vehicle exhausts.
The government's aim to pass the cost of running our railways on to passengers instead of matching the subsidies provided by all our European neighbours does nothing to persuade people to leave their cars at home.

COLIN FOX
National spokesman for the Scottish Socialist Party
Alloway Loan
Inch, Edinburgh

Letter to the editor Scotsman 

Free Public Transport Campaign grows in Germany

Der Slogan „Alle fahren mit“, den sich die VGF auf die Fahnen schreibt, ist nicht viel mehr als ein schlechter Witz: Jede Fahrpreiserhöhung macht die öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel exklusiver, schließt Arbeitslose, Alleinerziehende, Wohnungslose, Menschen ohne Papiere, Rentner_innen etc. von Bewegungsfreiheit aus. Die Fahrt durch die Stadt ist nur mit relativ viel Geld zu erwerben. Wer Arbeit hat, kann sich den Trip zu diesem Hamsterrad vielleicht noch leisten. Wer nicht zu zahlen im Stande ist, fliegt raus oder geht für wiederholtes Fahren ohne Fahrschein in den Knast. Die Teilhabe am öffentlichen Leben wird ohne Geld zur Straftat.

Die Möglichkeiten, ohne Geld am gesellschaftlichen Leben teilzunehmen, sind auf ein Minimum reduziert, die Versuche der staatlichen Krisenrettung wird von Lohn und Sozialleistungen abgezogen. Repressalien und öffentliche Erniedrigungen gegen Hartz IV-Empfänger_innen nehmen zu, der Hartz IV-Satz reicht schon jetzt nicht zum Leben. indymedia

Poland - Man beaten for not having ticket

...To już nie pierwszy raz, gdy pracownicy tej firmy biją pasażerów - mówią trójmiejscy działacze - W imię czego? Większych zysków przedsiębiorstwa czy rozładowania własnej frustracji niskimi zarobkami? Musimy w tej sytuacji zaprotestować i zaproponować swój pomysł. Młodym Socjalistom chodzi o to, aby prywatną firmę zastąpiła komunalna spółka i aby wpływy z mandatów trafiały do publicznej kasy, a nie prywatnej kieszeni właścicieli Renomy. W celu spopularyzowania swojego postulatu stworzyli stronę www.Renomie-Podziekujmy.pl. Jednym z głównych argumentów jest to, że transport publiczny i tak jest dotowany przez miasto, a wpływy z biletów to niewielki odsetek kosztów. Trzeba więc po prostu skończyć z fikcją, że dzięki biletom mamy tramwaje oraz autobusy, i podobnie jak w wielu miastach zachodnioeuropejskich i skandynawskich wprowadzić całkowicie bezpłatną komunikację miejską. To przyniesie korzyści zarówno dla mieszkańców, jak i dla środowiska naturalnego. Przeczytasz o tym na stronie Free Public Transport... http://www.lewica.pl/?id=21608

Hungary - Socialists promise free public transport

The Socialists would introduce free public transport for long-term residents of Budapest by 2013, the party's candidate for mayor Csaba Horváth told a May Day function in the City Park on Saturday.

He said transport would be free to those who have been residents of the capital for at least four years and students living in the city.

The free public transport could be funded from parking fees, and the introduction of "green zones" that could generate Ft 50 billion in Budapest, he said. politics.hu

Gratuidad del transporte público:todos ganan

Asimismo, hay que contar con los beneficios indirectos de este planteamiento: el municipio de Aubagne informa de que una familia podrá lograr un ahorro de hasta 2.000 euros anuales si  utiliza el transporte público gratuito. Otros ahorros son los derivados del mantenimiento de carreteras, accidentes de circulación y gastos sanitarios debidos a la disminución de la contaminación. ladyverd