Why isn't public transport free?

[Masha Sha]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

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[poptok1]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

That obviously depends on the place you are from, in my city buses are free to use for many groups of people. Unemployed, handicapped, caretakers, mothers with children nad so on... only men between 18-55 are required to have a ticket... equality
Some cities in my state also provide absolutely free public transport but they are in minority as of yet. So it is possible, still can be profitable thanks to adverts and fund's from national budget.   

[Balthazar]

Just for example, in USSR people were allowed to travel one stop for free.

[Masha Sha]

Law of physics + automation + open source software... Public utility company CEOs and their staff didn't yet experienced efficiency combined with austerity. Stream lining the processes.

[BADecker]

Somebody has to drill for oil. Somebody has to refine the oil. Somebody has to build the vehicular transportation. Somebody has to build the roads. Somebody has to maintain all of it. Then there are the vehicle drivers. Somebody has to oversee all the activities. All these people need to get paid.

The real question is, why do politicians and government officials need to get paid? They do none of this, but they still get their cut.

[Masha Sha]

Somebody has to drill for oil. Somebody has to refine the oil. Somebody has to build the vehicular transportation. Somebody has to build the roads. Somebody has to maintain all of it. Then there are the vehicle drivers. Somebody has to oversee all the activities. All these people need to get paid.

The real question is, why do politicians and government officials need to get paid? They do none of this, but they still get their cut.

And the biggest cut! If you look at salaries in public transportation you will see that the CEOs and her public relation propagandists take the biggest cut! Then all the traffic of influences about deserving an area or another...

[ObscureBean]

Somebody has to drill for oil. Somebody has to refine the oil. Somebody has to build the vehicular transportation. Somebody has to build the roads. Somebody has to maintain all of it. Then there are the vehicle drivers. Somebody has to oversee all the activities. All these people need to get paid.

The real question is, why do politicians and government officials need to get paid? They do none of this, but they still get their cut.

They get paid to take the blame for everything that's wrong with the country and believe it or not they play an essential role in the big picture. If people could learn to take full responsibility for their decisions and actions, there wouldn't be any need for politicians. But people are too busy doing as they please, the only way to be able to enjoy the pleasures of modern society to the fullest is by delegating responsibility to the man.

[Fraxinus]

Gas money is needed,also for buying the vehicles so it's really hard for us to expect free public transport.Although I agree in some places the tickets are really expensive and I can't understand really why,it isn't a rational thing but that's it.

[BADecker]

Somebody has to drill for oil. Somebody has to refine the oil. Somebody has to build the vehicular transportation. Somebody has to build the roads. Somebody has to maintain all of it. Then there are the vehicle drivers. Somebody has to oversee all the activities. All these people need to get paid.

The real question is, why do politicians and government officials need to get paid? They do none of this, but they still get their cut.

And the biggest cut! If you look at salaries in public transportation you will see that the CEOs and her public relation propagandists take the biggest cut! Then all the traffic of influences about deserving an area or another...

Corporate CEOs that run the transportation business are different than government officials.

In a free country, CEOs should get whatever cut they can get away with. Why? Because they are making the thing work. If someone can do it cheaper, they should do it. When this happens, CEOs will reduce their rates to remain competitive.

[jacee]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

You'll see how successful a country is once you see them providing free services like this.
In my case, it's far from being possible. Everything is yet being controlled with money.

[Masha Sha]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

You'll see how successful a country is once you see them providing free services like this.
In my case, it's far from being possible. Everything is yet being controlled with money.

Children in public schools don't pay tickets to go to class... Why shall public transportation cost?

[virtualx]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

Yes. The public transportation system costs money (rail network, bus), this money has to be received somewhere. Even if the government has the money, they usually don't make it free because they get personal profits directly from the corporations. This service could be paid directly from tax money, but we pay tax only to make some poorly educated guys rich right?

[Masha Sha]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

we pay tax only to make some poorly educated guys rich right?

Too big to fail, too big to jail...

[BADecker]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

You'll see how successful a country is once you see them providing free services like this.
In my case, it's far from being possible. Everything is yet being controlled with money.

Children in public schools don't pay tickets to go to class... Why shall public transportation cost?

Someone pays the expenses of the teachers, pays to print school books, pays to have classrooms built, etc.  Why should people who don't have any kids in school pay for somebody else's kids? Let the parents pay their kids' own way. Otherwise, don't have kids.

[Masha Sha]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

You'll see how successful a country is once you see them providing free services like this.
In my case, it's far from being possible. Everything is yet being controlled with money.

Children in public schools don't pay tickets to go to class... Why shall public transportation cost?

Someone pays the expenses of the teachers, pays to print school books, pays to have classrooms built, etc.  Why should people who don't have any kids in school pay for somebody else's kids? Let the parents pay their kids' own way. Otherwise, don't have kids.

Exactly and those who have 10 kids while other have none... However everyone would win if all schools would provide a quality education... Same for only tax subsided "free" public transport... Everyone could go... And maybe less traffic jam... And then no more ticket vending machines slowing the commute, no cards what ever. Just hoop and go... And no ads!!!

[LTU_btc]

How public transport can be free? Vehicles costs big money, also fuel is expensive. Also, they need to pay for drivers. In my country bus transport companies hardly can surive, they almost don't have profit. Imagine, if public transport would be free, it would end with bankrupt.

[Racey]

Most public transport in the UK is owned by private firms from abroad.

The labour party wants to change this, and put into public ownership, but still, this will not matter, prices will still rise and the consumer will have to pay.

When the UK builds a new railroad, the taxpayer pays for it, the taxpayer builds it, the taxpayer pays for price rises.
The taxpayer is always out of pocket, and we always complain about it.

The taxpayer pays all of his life, then dies at the end of his working career, or not long thereafter.

No one pays the ferryman except for ourselves, and only then if we have some cash.

[Masha Sha]

How public transport can be free? Vehicles costs big money, also fuel is expensive. Also, they need to pay for drivers. In my country bus transport companies hardly can surive, they almost don't have profit. Imagine, if public transport would be free, it would end with bankrupt.

By free I mean no more tickets... Only taxes. Like the interstate highway system... You know there is a federal trust fund... Same for public transport but more at the county, city or state level...

[LTU_btc]

How public transport can be free? Vehicles costs big money, also fuel is expensive. Also, they need to pay for drivers. In my country bus transport companies hardly can surive, they almost don't have profit. Imagine, if public transport would be free, it would end with bankrupt.

By free I mean no more tickets... Only taxes. Like the interstate highway system... You know there is a federal trust fund... Same for public transport but more at the county, city or state level...

Well, we already paying so much taxes, I don't think we need another tax. And not so big part of people using public transport, because they have their own cars. Who is main part of public transport clients - kids, students and old people. Kids don't pay taxes, students and pensioners are not rich people and they don't have money to pay more taxes.
But, I remembered that public transport is free in capital of Estonia Tallin since 2013
http://tallinn.ee/eng/freepublictransport/
Talinn citizens have to buy green card to prove identity which costs only 2 euro. So, maybe free public transport can exist.

[BADecker]

Taxes + tickets + ads revenues... All of this to pay executives and press relation managers high salaries?

You'll see how successful a country is once you see them providing free services like this.
In my case, it's far from being possible. Everything is yet being controlled with money.

Children in public schools don't pay tickets to go to class... Why shall public transportation cost?

Someone pays the expenses of the teachers, pays to print school books, pays to have classrooms built, etc.  Why should people who don't have any kids in school pay for somebody else's kids? Let the parents pay their kids' own way. Otherwise, don't have kids.

Exactly and those who have 10 kids while other have none... However everyone would win if all schools would provide a quality education... Same for only tax subsided "free" public transport... Everyone could go... And maybe less traffic jam... And then no more ticket vending machines slowing the commute, no cards what ever. Just hoop and go... And no ads!!!

Quite the opposite. You wanna ride, you pay. You pay, you get the ride. Otherwise walk.

You wanna have kids, you pay to get them trained. Otherwise, don't have kids.

It is absolutely NOT fair to take money from people who don't get anything back in return. Why should somebody take your money, and use it to pay my ride, or my kids' schooling? It's your money. It isn't your fault I want to go from here to there, or I want to have kids to train.

But, if you WANT to give your money away, that's up to you. Just make sure I get a benefit when you take my money from me by force in something called taxation.