Free Public Transport: Marketing or Political Strategy?

This article discusses the concept of "free" public transportation services. Although many services tout themselves as free to customers, the costs are usually covered by the public authority. Free public transportation in a broad sense is an appropriate way to enhance the attractiveness of public transportation for a specific situation or target group. Completely free public transportation is an instrument motivated by policy goals, such as traffic management, social inclusion, environmental protection, and to make the city more attractive for residents, tourists and businesses. The effects of using free public transportation to meet policy goals are often overestimated. The most important consideration then is not if but how much a customer has to pay. Hasselt, Belgium is highlighted as an example of a town that makes its public transportation free to all customers and covers the costs entirely.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/1016796X
• Authors:
  • Meyer, Rolf
• Publication Date: 2007-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: p 31
• Serial:
  • Public Transport International
  • Volume: 56
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: International Association of Public Transport (UITP)
  • ISSN: 1016-796X
  • Serial URL: http://www.uitp.org/publications/public-transport-magazine.cfm

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Costs; Free fares; Political factors; Public transit; Urban transportation policy
• Geographic Terms: Hasselt (Belgium)
• Subject Areas: Finance; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01076962
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 27 2007 7:07AM