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The Forum > Article Comments > Should public transport users pay their way? > Comments

Should public transport users pay their way? : Comments

By Alan Davies, published 1/10/2010

Subsidising public transport makes it less useful to those who really need it.

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Yes, public transport users should pay their way. The same way that those who used public roads should pay for them.

When cars, trucks and buses pay for the roads, it will be time for public transport users to pay fares that represent the full cost of the service.
Posted by Flo, Friday, 1 October 2010 8:59:28 PM
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Rehctub wrote:

>>…we must come to the realisation that the days of a 'free ride' must come to an end as we are simply not collecting enough taxes to keep these subsidised schemes running how they are today.>>

Not that they’re running that well today.

Rehctub also wrote:

>>Now we can continue to subsidise the cost, which is a bit like a dog chasing its tail,>>

Excellent analogy.

However we are not “punishing” people by asking them to pay the full cost of using a road at peak hour any more than we are punishing someone when we ask them to pay the full cost of, say, a cinema ticket. With few exceptions user pays is the only way to run an economy.
Posted by stevenlmeyer, Saturday, 2 October 2010 12:11:33 AM
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Nope- public-owned fully taxpayer subsidized "free" transport is vastly more beneficial to Australia as a whole- especially city dwellers;

It would ultimately SAVE money (as the income comes from only a single source that requires minimal investigation as opposed to all of the ticketing, concession analyzing, detectives, fee quotas, etc- not to mention employing vendors, machines, repair work for said machines, ensuring no other glitches with machines;

Of course, this only makes sense from the perspective of a road user improving road infrastructure, accessibility and usage- not somebody who would want to make it a source of wealth generation.

Also, WHY does subsidization 'not work'? You never explained, just gave examples of cities that only partly-subsidize a private-owned company.
Posted by King Hazza, Saturday, 2 October 2010 1:15:15 AM
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public-transport..should/be..free
and rego-prices..should-be..reduced

compulsory/third-party..insurance..
is a multinational/cash-cow

[it is little..known/that we pay..a subsidy..[under 20 dollars/each]
that...ensure's..even the unensured-vehicles...who should-be..a greater risk...

yet the..true cost
to insure..their reckless/behaviour
is only..twenty-bucks...!

and responsable..road-users cop hundreds
[were/being..conned]..

besides all/that..should-be built...into..the price/of..fuel

i used my auto..12 times..a year..
yet pay/the same..insurance/as those..using theirs..everyday...

im subsidising..your carelessness..
so i gave-up..the right to easy-travel

now i travel..by bus/train./bike/feet
[and feet/cost the most..shoes only last..a few walks]

if i travelled everyday..buss/would cost more..than a car

bikes need constant attention/servicing..
and are great down-hill
but hell uphill..

and when traveling..beside the road..[the road-grime is horrendouse]..and the parked cars...

[dont mention...diesal/particulate..the highest-cause..of lung-cancer]

dont get/me..started

anyhow..those wanting their..auto-s
should-be paying..for all the costs...via their fuel..

[fix the price..and sell it/for..the same price everyday..

and it wont even..need/to go..up/nor/down]...
just stay-at..the same up-price..

[no price...increases..needed]

by the by...that so-called fuel-parity
with signapure/extra*/standard-blend

is yet another con...its all deciet..

this cost per/barrel..of oil...they are..the futures-prices..
often bought..[orded..but then...cancelled]..

just to move..the price/for today

there is a thing/called..algerithmic-trading..
where so-called..high-frequency/traders...put in orders...
by benifit/of..a three second lag..
ahead of others..ordering theirs...via a 6 second delay

the result is 90..percent/of..all orders are cancelled!

[i think its called herd trading]...

we are being conned

even worse..govts talk's..of infastructure..programs..
ie giving developers/mates..huge contracts..
to build under-passes...tunnels/buss-ways/road/traintracks..electric/gas/water..grids..etc...

that transport..only a few/little
compared to the public road/delivery..system's

recall ire-lands..65 billion bail-out..of the bankers?

that was because/of..only less-than 100 of these..
'developers'..doing their..same/game globally...

its easy..run-it down..
[or bomb it..in war]
..then get the/contract..[off govt/mates]..to re build-it/..own-it

it should-be
free...basic-transport/service dewlivery..for all

then users pay...
and no built-in big business proffit-margin
govts should underwrite..their citisenries/insurance/and basic-needs..

not big business...for ursurous/monopoly..profit-margins

[remember aig?]..the grand insurance/scam
that almost wrecked the global economy...
soon to go..a double-dip?

no more bail-outs..!

its all/been built
now govt/and the people own it..!

the bankers forfeited..any-right..to any of it
read the..secret/bankers manuel
Posted by one under god, Saturday, 2 October 2010 3:18:02 AM
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>>>besides all/that..should-be built...into..the price/of..fuel

I could not agree more. Rego, TPI should be minimal, the rest should be a levy. The down side though is it would most likely be wasted on some other project so we would be in the same net position anyway. But it's worth a try.

BTW, I drive a large V8 ford, albeit, only occasionally as my main drive is my work van. I am more than happy to pay my fair share.

King Hazza, Your theory has 'job losses' written all over it.

We should be looking at ways to preserve jobs, not cut them.

I say, if you drive on a road that has adequate public transport services available, then you should pay a toll, or at lease have a justifiable concession.
Posted by rehctub, Saturday, 2 October 2010 6:28:22 AM
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Sorry rehctub but the city and all other businesses should not be held hostage to people holding a redundant, and overwhelmingly detrimental position upon everyone else in society.

Especially considering that the redundancies could instead be redirected immediately at expanding public transport coverage;
Those desk jobs and ticket jobs could easily fill new driver roles (or another administrative deskjob in short supply). But more importantly, the mechanics, technitians and engineers we employ, normally checking up on the ticket machines could be redirected to checking the buses, trains roads, rail etc (and they're actually desperately needed there).

The problem with tolls because the road is 'commonly used' is very arbitrary, causes a lot of problems for people whenever proximity to destination to said road, and is ultimately just a further kick in the teeth to the broader residents of Sydney;

Quite frankly I would rather pay a one-off to retrain these people and place them in another sector than maintain a negative system.
Posted by King Hazza, Saturday, 2 October 2010 10:40:57 AM
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