FREE-FARE TRANSIT: SOME EMPIRICAL FINDINGS. ABRIDGMENT

This paper presents comparative results from two free transit demonstrations funded by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration. In Denver and Trenton, one-year experiments with off-peak free transit began early in 1977. The analysis here is based on survey and ridership-count data collected as part of the demonstration evaluation process. Aggregate ridership increases of about 50 percent were observed at both sites following the elimination of fares. The majority of the additional trips would have otherwise been made by non-bus modes, though roughly 15-25 percent would not have been made at all without free fare. Transit-dependent groups, including the elderly, the poor, and the carless, were less responsive to fare elimination than were nondependent groups. Neither demonstration had a measurable impact on automobile use. At both sites increased ridership led to modest and generally localized deteriorations in service quality. (Author)

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1981/799/799-010.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=FREE-FARE+TRANSIT%3A+SOME+EMPIRICAL+FINDINGS.+ABRIDGMENT&author=L.+Doxsey&author=B.+Spear&publication_year=1981
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Public Transportation Planning and Development. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Doxsey, Lawrence B
  • Spear, Bruce D
• Conference:
  • 60th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1981-1-12 to 1981-1-16
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 47-49
• Monograph Title: Transit Fare Policies
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 799
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Automobile travel; Bus transit; Demonstration projects; Free fares; Low income groups; Off peak periods; Ridership
• Uncontrolled Terms: Disadvantaged persons; Increase
• Old TRIS Terms: Bus services; Free transportation; Off-peak
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00341810
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 030903213X
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 22 1981 12:00AM