Controversial Kansas City Free Rides Spark 'Doom Spiral' Funding Crisis

First thing . . .

"Governing" magazine isn't some alt-right op/ed rag . . . It's a fairly progressive digest of important municipal issues and trends. 

The upshot . . . 

Extensive freebies for transit have disappointed in Kansas City and beyond. 

Here's data to back up this assertion . . .

Although these experiments aided low-income families and modestly boosted ridership, they also created new political and economic challenges for beleaguered transit agencies. With ridership still dramatically below pre-pandemic levels and temporary federal support expiring, transportation agencies face an economic and managerial “doom spiral.”

Free public transit that doesn’t bankrupt agencies would require a revolution in transit funding. In most regions, U.S. voters – 85 percent of whom commute by automobile – have resisted deep subsidies and expect fare collection to cover a portion of operating budgets. Studies also show that transit riders are likely to prefer better, low-cost service to free rides on the substandard options that exist in much of the U.S.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Low-Cost, High-Quality Transit Is Better Than Free Rides

Public transit systems face daunting challenges across the U.S., from pandemic ridership losses to traffic congestion, fare evasion and pressure to keep rides affordable. In some cities, including Boston, Kansas City and Washington, many elected officials and advocates see fare-free public transit as the solution.