• LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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    2 hours ago

    I’d say a bit of both. The numbers they showed for it if I remember was that they spent $150m to catch like $100,000 of fares that were skipped. Then throw in 4 people dead and you didn’t do much to help. You just made it more miserable for people travelling.

    With fares making up 23% of your income, and payroll taking up over 30% of expenses… Odds are they could cut the number of guards patrolling tolls, ticket sales people, customer service reps, maintenance workers for all the machines/guard terminals etc by a shit ton and make the transportation free, and offset the costs elsewhere. It would also likely boost the economy of the area, do to people not needing to scrape together a couple dollars to take the train and spending it at businesses they otherwise may normally avoid do to costs or not having that extra few dollars.

    • Hacksaw@lemmy.ca
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      2 hours ago

      In Ontario, asshole political leader Doug Ford is trying to stop free public transit by paying for transit cops out of the provincial budget. That way no one can make the payment you just made. Can we have the same amount of money to spend on improving public transit? No. The only thing fearless leader Doug Ford fears more than free public transit is good public transit.

      What a bag of dicks. Watch other conservative states and provinces follow his lead!

      https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/doug-ford-announces-money-for-cops-asylum-seekers-in-ottawa-no-new-transit-funds-1.7098980

      • yonder
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        45 minutes ago

        Wait, where in Ontario has free transit? The topic of your article, Ottawa, charges for transit.

        • Hacksaw@lemmy.ca
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          38 minutes ago

          It was floated last election and has made the rounds a few times. This is a pre emptive attack.

          • yonder
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            33 minutes ago

            Darn. Free or even just cheaper transit would be pretty cool and might increase ridership. I mean, roads are free to use, so why not transit as well?