Fuck that shit. Public transit should be free.
For anyone thinking that this idea is ridiculous, I’d invite them to look at the breakdown of revenue sources for Sound Transit:
Financially it wouldn’t be that hard of a sell at all. The knock-on effects would certainly be more challenging to address.
I personally believe that the prospect of getting hassled and ticketed by fare enforcement staff is a legitimate reason we don’t see more people on the trains who are visibly suffering from addiction and homelessness. Because the state and the nation isn’t interested in helping these folks, they’re naturally going to flow into any public space that permits them to exist. And a free, climate-controlled train car with a place to sit down is going to inevitably be one. And that’s going to upset the kind of people who want to not look at, think about or much less share space with folks with those problems.
The answer isn’t to guard the trains to keep the poors out. The answer is to take care of people in need so they don’t need to loiter in a light rail car.
Sadly Sound Transit isn’t budgeted for that.
I didn't have enough energy this morning to say it so eloquently, but THIS, exactly THIS, thank you. America doesn't want to help, just wants such problems invisible.
I personally believe that the prospect of getting hassled and ticketed by fare enforcement staff is a legitimate reason we don’t see more people on the trains who are visibly suffering from addiction and homelessness.
i also stopped riding once they ramped up the fare enforcement. i'm not homeless or addicted, i just don't enjoy confrontation and fare enforcement (regardless if you paid or not) is an extremely confrontational interaction.
I don't mind paying for every ride. Since I sold my car, Transit has saved me over 50 thousand dollars on gasoline alone, not to mention insurance, tabs, tires and other maintenance.
Somebody's got to pay for it, and as with roads, that means the people who drive on them. Health care should be free.
make this clear to ST and the legislature. make your vote for their next lightrail levy conditional on it being fareless.
I'll support them, but only because it'll finally force conservative morons to shut up about people riding it for free. I'd love for it to be free too, but goddamn they just spout how "Stupid" we all are for letting people walk on.
Granted, I also think the whole fare-enforcement thing is a waste too. We are paying people salaries to go around and issue tickets when this has already been solved with fare gates. For jumpers, we already have security at all of the stations. Most other metros already have fare-gates.
I support fare gates because those who are more fit get to skip them.
As a NYC native who spent their youth doing exactly this, I reject this statement. I was an unfit fat kid. Also, why would fitness warrant a free ride? Logically that’s back asswards.
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