Making Public Transport Free

Argumentative Essay

Nguyễn Minh Đức

mobility, receding traffic congestion, and diminishing pollution. However, the

issue of affordability is a major hindrance to the accessibility of this transportation

to citizens. For instance, in many cities with high standards of living namely

Zurich, Switzerland, an average one-way ticket was $4.85, and an astronomical

$88.26 for a monthly pass1. Hence, an emerging proposal recommends making

public transport free, in order to address this problem. This essay will argue that

implementing a public transport system without charges brings a plethora of

potentials and benefits for the society and the environment.

First of all, making public transport free of charge mitigates the financial burden

on citizens, especially the underprivileged and low-income individuals.

Transportation costs constitute a significant proportion of daily expenses, which

often confines the ability to purchase necessaries and travel long distances,

particularly when regarding the impoverished group. According to the US

Department of Transportation, the fourth highest category of household

expenditure was transportation, accounted for a total of $1.6 trillion USD, as of the

1
The Most Expensive Public Transport in the World (Published by James McCay, Jun 27, 2023)
year 20212. Thus, removing public transport fares would allow individuals to

reallocate their budgets towards other essentials such as healthcare or housing, and

ultimately promote economic equity and diminish poverty.

Moreover, free public transport stimulates social engagement and business

activities by enhancing mobility and connectivity. It is clear that eliminating

transportation costs proves crucial in stimulating social participation, particularly

for the elderly, the disabled and those experiencing financial struggle. As collected

in a database, around 25% of people with disability lived in poverty, while that

percentage of the non-disabled was only 12% in the US3. Therefore, a public

transportation system free of charge would promote greater participation and

facilitate a more inclusive society. In addition, efficient and costless transportation

networks play an indispensable role in maintaining the smooth functioning of

economies, enhancing access to employment opportunities and business

interactions, as well as providing timeless delivery of goods and services. Thus, not

only will free transportation facilitate engagement in social activities for the

2
The High Cost of Transportation in the United States (by the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy,
Jan 24, 2024)
3
Poverty rate among people with and without disabilities from 2008 to 2021 (Published by John Elflein, Apr 17,
2023)
marginalized groups, but also encourage workforce participation, hence support

both social and economy development.

Moreover, while implementing free public transport incurs initial and high price

tags, it offers long-term savings and benefits to the environment. Investing in

public transport infrastructure and operations would offer returns by alleviating the

costs of road maintenance projects and directly reallocate these expenditures

towards constructing the public transport system. As stated in a database of 2020,

state and local governments spent nearly 6% of general spending, which is around

$204 billion on highways and roads, while a mere 43% of that budget went

towards maintenance and repair costs4. Additionally, by receding the reliance on

private vehicles, free public transport would mitigate demand for expensive road

expansion operations, saving billions of dollars for alternative uses such as

afforestation and limiting Co2 emissions projects, hence contribute to a cleaner and

healthier environment.

4
How much do state and local governments spend on highways and roads? (compiled by the Urban Institute via
State and Local Finance Data: Exploring the Census of Governments, accessed Dec 6, 2022)
On the other hand, some critics are of the opinion that free of charge public

transport system is financially unsustainable to national budgets. It is these

opponents’ contention that overcrowding and ultimately declined service quality

may occur by virtue of the fact that this transport system is entirely complimentary.

However, these concerns are manageable with ease through proper and advance

planning, optimization and investment. Moreover, as aforementioned, the long-

term merits outweigh the initial expense in terms of road maintenance and

expansion costs, making it a well worth considering investment for the future of a

well-being and developed society, as well as a more sustainable environment.

All and all, making public transport free suggests a promising solution to overcome

the issues of affordability, social exclusion, and environmental deterioration. By

reducing financial burdens, improving social inclusion, and promoting economic

growth, free public transport contributes in making an affordable and equitable

society. As cities and countries around the globe attempting to promote

urbanization and mobility, the need for a free, yet efficient network of public

transportation would help connect and sustain a thriving economy for the future.
SOURCES:

1. https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/travel-insurance/features/most-

expensive-public-transport/

2. https://www.itdp.org/2024/01/24/high-cost-transportation-united-states/

3. https://www.statista.com/statistics/979003/disability-poverty-rate-us/

4. https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/cross-center-initiatives/state-and-

local-finance-initiative/state-and-local-backgrounders/highway-and-road-

expenditures