Towns and Cities with Free Public Transportation

[harllee]

I was recently reading an article that said that Kansas City was the first major U.S. city to provide free public transportation. I did not realize that free busses, etc was so unusual. My town of Chapel Hill, NC has had a free bus system for many years. Chapel Hill is a college town so many of the bus riders are students but the free bus system is extensive and anyone can ride free. Where I live is also very walkable/bikeable. I am lucky that most of my daily trips are car free--I either walk or ride the free bus. About the only time I have to drive is to the grocery store and even then I could take a bus but chose not to for convenience.

Anyone else live where there is free public transportation?

 

[COcheesehead]

Telluride CO has free public transportation in the form of a gondola.

https://www.telluride.com/activities/gondola

 

[davebarnes]

Breckenridge, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, Keystone

https://www.summitcountyco.gov/586/Transit-Summit-Stage
Summit Stage offers free public transit service within Summit County [Colorado], providing access to our public lands, lodging, town centers, retail areas, and medical centers.

 

[harllee]

Telluride CO has free public transportation in the form of a gondola.

https://www.telluride.com/activities/gondola

A gondola WOW. I have ridden them skiing but never thought of them as transportation

 

[rk911]

t’ain’t nuthin free, McGee.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

t’ain’t nuthin free, McGee.

thank you. Corollary to this rule: there's no such thing as government funded.

 

[rk911]

thank you. Corollary to this rule: There's no such thing as government funded.

 

[harllee]

You guys are just jealous because your towns don't have free public transportation. At least my tax money is going toward something that benefits me.

 

[nancyfrank232]

Anyone else live where there is free public transportation?

I live in a place with free healthcare

But by all means, enjoy your free bus rides!

 

[CardsFan]

Key West has a free bus around town. I am pretty sure it is funded by the businesses in the area. No tax payer funds. We used it at least a dozen times during our last visit.

 

[rk911]

You guys are just jealous because your towns don't have free public transportation. At least my tax money is going toward something that benefits me.

lol...now THAT's funny. so no police or fire service in your town? no sewer system? garbage collection? street maintenance? public water supply? waste water treatment? none of the things that benefit all residents, transients, visitors, workers? nope, not jealous....just pragmatic.

 

[aja8888]

You guys are just jealous because your towns don't have free public transportation. At least my tax money is going toward something that benefits me.

We don't have a state (or city) income tax so I can spend that money on anything I want. Your taxes pay for the "free" transportation.

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

I don't know about free, but overall I would have to say on balance the public transportation in the USA is very lacking. It just isn't that good. It would take a whole lot of money that individual states don't seem to be able to find or willing to spend to fix it. One thing for is for sure, if a miracle happens, and we start the infrastructure required to build capable public transportation with real speed, it certainly won't be free to use.

I could be wrong, but it just seems like when most of our cities were built they didn't include public transportation in the planning.

 

[harllee]

I live in a place with free healthcare

But by all means, enjoy your free bus rides!

I would love free health care too

 

[nancyfrank232]

I would love free health care too

Free healthcare is why Canadians can retire with a lot less anxiety

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/news...n-than-canadas-single-payer-system/ar-BBYK8o9

 

[aja8888]

I would love free health care too

Heath care is never free, unless you take out your own appendix.

 

[nancyfrank232]

Heath care is never free, unless you take out your own appendix.

Still 4x cheaper than the US with the same mortality and morbidity rates

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/news...n-than-canadas-single-payer-system/ar-BBYK8o9

 

[Aerides]

this thread is not about healthcare, enough already, back to transit.

 

[nancyfrank232]

this thread is not about healthcare, enough already, back to transit.

Transit isn’t free unless you build and drive your own bus lol

 

[COcheesehead]

Nothing is free. Most, but not all, taxpayers understand that.

 

[MRG]

KC did it to get workers downtown so they can collect the earnings tax.[emoji23]

 

[rk911]

Nothing is free. Most, but not all, taxpayers understand that.

too optimistic. some, not most.

 

[COcheesehead]

too optimistic. some, not most.

True

 

[jazz4cash]

One community nearby offered free parking and rush hour bus service to alleviate terrible traffic jams on a main arterial interstate but no one would use it. The busses travelled up and down the service road with one or two passengers throughout the AM and pm rush.

I recently noticed our little town has a senior citizen transportation service that is door to door service anywhere within town limits for $30/yr.

 

[nativenewenglander]

https://www.summitcountyco.gov/586/Transit-Summit-Stage
Summit Stage offers free public transit service within Summit County [Colorado], providing access to our public lands, lodging, town centers, retail areas, and medical centers.

That's great to know. 14 of us are heading there for a ski vacation on 2/15-2/22. Some of us are skiing WildCat in NH today. I'll do some research as the free transport could be handy.