Asheville News

The truth about the free fares

Jason Sandford October 21, 2006

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

There’s been a ton of positive television, newspaper and blogger coverage about the recent free fare period offered by the Ashvegas Transit Authority. That’s all fine and dandy, but let Ashvegas bring back a little reality check.

The fact is that ATA bus drivers despise the free ride period, because people are abusing it. Drunks, homeless people and general bums get on the bus and stink it up, riding all the day long because there is no fare. It’s a warm, dry place and the bums around town have been loving it, much to the chagrin of drivers, who have to deal with the drunk and disorderly.

Young hooligans have also swarmed the bus, especially along the Ashvegas Mall routes. They get on and raise hell and don’t get off. Because it’s free. It has created chaos on any number of bus routes. Again, the bus drivers hate it. They can’t wait for the free fare period to end.

City Council, don’t lower the bus fares. Keep a fare system in place that at least makes the city transit system an option that your general Joe Blow would at least consider riding, because nobody will ride if you keep it the way it is. And you may not have anybody to drive.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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3 Comments

cooperwx October 23, 2006

I haven’t noticed any problems at all. One drunk lady tried to board the #8 bus last week (and was denied), but that is the first incident I’ve seen.

The reason they should reinstate the fare system is that the free fare period didn’t do what it was hoped it would do: entice new riders. That just isn’t happening.

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Edgy Mama October 22, 2006

Good points, Ash.

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Huw Raphael October 21, 2006

Free never works. In fact it’s not free: but riding on the backs of the rest of us Ashvegas tax payers.

If I’ve read the PR correctly when the free ride is over they are actually *raising* the rates so as to cover the cost of something or another… perhaps the city council will get free lunch.

The real problem is in treating transportation as a public utility or even a right. A privatised transport system is usually the best answer – imagine competing rates1 In New Jersey, when they opened up the NYC-bound bus routes to private competition, we had private companies running better service for less money on the same routes as the Gov’t/Union Barges.

It was easy for me to pick a better bus for the morning commute!

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