@Danwwilson @ajsadauskas @TheOne - source: https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/queensland-transport-and-roads-investment-program-qtrip-2021-22-to-2024-25/resource/31b923ca-932b-4637-80ea-d187d63b23ea

@Danwwilson @ajsadauskas @TheOne - the last time I looked at Queensland transport spending on new projects, the cars were getting the most of the funds...yep, look at the numbers in this misleading pie chart:

@Danwwilson @ajsadauskas @TheOne - frequency is freedom, when it is a metro style frequency: every 3 minutes or so, but PT should not run empty most of the time either, so punctuality/reliability is super important in non-metro services: people can plan activities when they know, to the minute, when the bus will come, even if it comes once an hour, but they switch to driving if the bus gets cancelled or is late, more than let's say once a month?

@ajsadauskas @Danwwilson @TheOne - the Japanese include all revenue, not just fare revenue, and they make money from real estate at/around train stations.

@ajsadauskas @Danwwilson @TheOne - I forgot about Hong Kong, and Japan with many private rail operators: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farebox_recovery_ratio

@ajsadauskas @Danwwilson @TheOne - sure, but in the Queensland example I gave removing fares may cost almost nothing.

Let's say running 10 bus services per day costs $100 (driver+fuel), fares bring $20, card readers+ticket inspectors+software cost $10. Net: 100+10-20=$90. You can make it free: 100, or double services, net: 200+20-40=180, or double and free: 200.

Fares and services are weakly related. It's not this OR that.

I know of one city where fares cover operating costs: Singapore.

@jroper @ajsadauskas @TheOne - oh, people are definitely #PredictablyIrrational when making decisions - check out the 2008 book by Dan Ariely, especially the chapter about the disproportional power of free.

Yep, if you want people to use something less, make them pay for it every time they use it (there are no PT passes in Queensland).

Also, people rarely compare total car ownership costs, which some PT advocates are fixated on, vs fares. It's per trip decision if you have a car already.

@ajsadauskas @TheOne - yes, but the situation needs to be evaluated as a whole from the point of view of the user and trip: car vs PT vs active transport: marginal cost, door to door speed, quality, safety, comfort, availability. By making PT free, we would be making it a bit more competitive against car here. As it is, it loses to car in most categories for most trips, in #GoldCoast: 5% to 85%.

@ajsadauskas @TheOne - in #Queensland, the fare box revenue is so small, that eliminating the whole fare collection and enforcement would have a very minor effect on the budget, and could even be net positive if it lead to less driving (health, pollution, crashes, congestion) and more mobility.

The government keeps the full ongoing costs of the fare system secret, but we know for example that they spent A$371 million to add a payment by credit card option. Fare revenue in 2022: A$203m.