America is preparing to ensure 100% free bus service in the public sector. As part of the plan, free rides in Washington, D.C. will begin this year, the Public Broadcast Service reported. Through this move, the administrators are aiming to control the existing inequalities in the society. The administration is preparing for a new move in front of a large community that includes students. Several states in the United States have already implemented free public transportation.
The project is getting a lot of support from students in Washington DC. Says Wayne, a graduate student: “I think it’s a big deal for a graduate student. We don’t have a lot of money, so transportation is a big problem. This decision is a huge burden.” Wynne is a biomass student at Georgetown University. Wayne is also a physics PhD candidate. People from different strata of the society are also welcoming this decision.
The bill was passed by a majority vote of the Washington DC City Council in December of last year. The bill says to ensure free travel for all those who depend on the public transport system, to include more services on routes with more passengers and to bring in night travel. The city council claimed that people earning less than $50,0000 a year rely mostly on public transportation. Along with the convenience of commuting to work, people also aim for economic benefits by relying on public transport.
Emanuel, who lives in Washington, DC, says: “Each person will save $200 a month with this government decision. That’s a good thing.” It is estimated that this change to public transportation will cost the state $42 million in the first year. Washington, D.C. is also moving to the new decision as part of making public transportation free across the country. Already, states like Alexandria, Virginia, Kansas City and Missouri have implemented the decision of free travel.
The government aims to control inequality in society by creating inclusive public transport for the economically disadvantaged. Isabel, a native of Washington, also supports this decision of the administration. These are the words of Isabel. “When I heard that the bill to make public transport free came to the council, there was no hope. I did not think that this bill would be passed. But after two or three days, I was happy to know that the bill was passed. I think that public transport service will be available to everyone through this law. Especially those who need such a service, this decision will be very beneficial.” The bill passed the D.C. Council and is currently on the mayor’s desk. Public transportation in Washington D.C. will be free starting in July after the mayor signs a bill.
The demand to make public transportation free was also raised in Boston. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has been at the forefront of this cause. Meanwhile, local bus fares are free in Massachusetts during the holiday season. But there was also talk of lost revenue from free public transport.
The free ride system started four years ago in Kansas City. Transportation Authority CEO Robbie MacKinen says the service was first guaranteed to veterans and then to high school students, then to social service safety net clients such as domestic violence survivors. Making public transport free for the people only means that people are not paying. But he pointed out that the government is paying for it. The returns on investing in empathy, compassion and social equity are far greater than investing in concrete and asphalt and we can invest in people, he says.
At the same time, many people are coming against this decision in America. Dorothy Moses Schulz, professor emerita at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said it was a bad idea and many taxpayers were not in favor of the decision. Allowing people to ride for free will create a situation where homeless people will always ride the buses. According to Schulz, this will cause inconvenience to ordinary passengers and also pose a security threat. Schulz also points out that the system could be misused by people who rely on drunken public transport, criminals, etc. Schulz also stated that it is a good decision to reduce the charges instead of giving free travel to the economically disadvantaged.
By paying for the trip, the traveler gets an ownership interest in the trip. Schulz also argues that even paying a small fee for travel creates a sense of ownership. Schulz added that this leads to better behavior in people, and people are less likely to take anything that comes for free.