The Largest Free Mass Transit Experiment in the World

[Turbo19]

TALLINN, Estonia — Last January, Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, did something that no other city its size had done before: It made all public transit in the city free for residents.

City officials made some bold predictions about what would result. There would be a flood of new passengers on Tallinn’s buses and trams — as many as 20 percent more riders. Carbon emissions would decline substantially as drivers left their cars at home and rode transit instead. And low-income residents would gain new access to jobs that they previously couldn’t get to. As Mayor Edgar Savisaar likes to say, zeroing out commuting costs was for some people as good as receiving a 13th month of salary.

One year later, this city of 430,000 people has firmly established itself as the leader of a budding international free-transit movement. Tallinn has hosted two conferences for city officials, researchers and journalists from across Europe to discuss the idea. The city has an English-language website devoted to its experiment. And promotional materials have proclaimed Tallinn the "capital of free public transport."

The idea has been very popular with Tallinners. In an opinion poll, nine out of ten people said they were happy with how it’s going. Pille Saks is one of them. "I like free rides," says Saks, a 29 year-old secretary who goes to work by bus. "I have a car, but I don’t like to drive with it, especially in the winter when there is a lot of snow and roads are icy."

 

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[peacemak3r]

If the subways and buses were free with minimum delays, I'd say a lot of drivers would take that advantage if necessary. Heh, it'll definitely flush out the inexperienced drivers in the snow.

[DJ MC]

For Lynx, besides our BRT route being free, we had a day called Bike to Work. Less than 60 passengers took advantage of the free rides on all bus routes, since the majority of passengers carried bus passes. Same with Dump the Pump. Not many people took advantage of it either, which is probably why it wouldn't work on a regular basis. Moreover it would waste money. 

[Turbo19]

For Lynx, besides our BRT route being free, we had a day called Bike to Work. Less than 60 passengers took advantage of the free rides on all bus routes, since the majority of passengers carried bus passes. Same with Dump the Pump. Not many people took advantage of it either, which is probably why it wouldn't work on a regular basis. Moreover it would waste money. 

Yeah, if anything this is an independent situation, and won't reflect the needs of everyone.

[Missabassie]

Interesting concept...

But, would it work in a city like new york? Can't say I'd recommend it.

[Vistausss]

Interesting concept...

But, would it work in a city like new york? Can't say I'd recommend it.

 

The only thing I can see it working for in the NY area is SCT. But SCT is already short on service in some ways (long routes, crushloaded buses, lackluster Sunday service, etc.) so there s no way they gonna come up with the money to make all the rides free. But if anything, I can see it working there. Not in Nassau or NYC. Maybe the Franklin Shuttle.

 

(btw, SIR is or at least was free IIRC so its not like NYC hasnt experimented with this )

[Tokkemon]

Remember that Tallinn is a relatively small city compared to places in America or Europe with larger subways. So its easier for them to do such experiments. 

Beautiful city though. I loved my brief visit there several years ago. 

[ttcsubwayfan]

Remember that Tallinn is a relatively small city compared to places in America or Europe with larger subways. So its easier for them to do such experiments.

 

I believe London is the only city in Europe with a comparable population.

[Tokkemon]

I believe London is the only city in Europe with a comparable population.

 

Because Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Moscow, and Rome don't count?

[ttcsubwayfan]

Because Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Moscow, and Rome don't count?

 

New York: 8,336,697

London: 8,308,369

Berlin: 3,394,130

Madrid: 3,233,527

Paris: 2,243,833

Rome: 2,799,350

 

Not exactly the same, is it? For the record, when I said "comparable", I was talking about comparing it to New York. London has several million more people than any of the aforementioned cities.

 

I will give you the Moscow one though.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Remember that Tallinn is a relatively small city compared to places in America or Europe with larger subways. So its easier for them to do such experiments. 

 

Beautiful city though. I loved my brief visit there several years ago. 

Not only that, but the Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greenland and Iceland) have very high standards of living.  Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland in particular are rich countries who can afford to lavish luxuries on its residents, so I don't see something like this working in other places.  It's expensive and that's why the taxes in these countries are so high.  Norway for example is rich in oil, so they can set aside monies for their residents for things that even other wealthy Western European countries can't.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Remember, someone's always paying for it...

[Vistausss]

New York: 8,336,697

London: 8,308,369

Berlin: 3,394,130

Madrid: 3,233,527

Paris: 2,243,833

Rome: 2,799,350

 

Not exactly the same, is it? For the record, when I said "comparable", I was talking about comparing it to New York. London has several million more people than any of the aforementioned cities.

 

I will give you the Moscow one though.

 

Pains me to say it, but don t forget Amsterdam. The city itself and little towns around it that make up part of the metropolitan area have approx. 3.9 million inhabitants, not even counting the whole metropolitan area. And growing rapidly.

 

Anyway: I don't see this experiment working even in Rome or Paris...

Not only that, but the Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greenland and Iceland) have very high standards of living.  Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland in particular are rich countries who can afford to lavish luxuries on its residents, so I don't see something like this working in other places.  It's expensive and that's why the taxes in these countries are so high.  Norway for example is rich in oil, so they can set aside monies for their residents for things that even other wealthy Western European countries can't.

 

Exactly. Some countries have higher standards so even cities with less inhabitants will have trouble executing this large free mass transit experiment...

[Missabassie]

Meaning there's no ghetto population...

 

Come on. You knew somebody had to say it.

[Turbo19]

Meaning there's no ghetto population...

 

Come on. You knew somebody had to say it.

No.

[ttcsubwayfan]

Pains me to say it, but don t forget Amsterdam. The city itself and little towns around it that make up part of the metropolitan area have approx. 3.9 million inhabitants, not even counting the whole metropolitan area. And growing rapidly.

 

Anyway: I don't see this experiment working even in Rome or Paris...

 

Personally, I think the only way we could see if an experiment like this would work in New York if it was either done there, obviously, or conducted in Moscow, Istanbul or London.

[qjtransitmaster]

This only works cause they make back the money in taxes which is pretty slick if you ask me. Some places in Vermont have free transit systems as well.

[Minato ku]

New York: 8,336,697

London: 8,308,369

Berlin: 3,394,130

Madrid: 3,233,527

Paris: 2,243,833

Rome: 2,799,350

 

Not exactly the same, is it? For the record, when I said "comparable", I was talking about comparing it to New York. London has several million more people than any of the aforementioned cities.

 

I will give you the Moscow one though.

Never heard of something called suburbs? Comparaison between City proper numbers can be very misleading.

More than 80% of Paris metropolitan population don't live in the City of Paris. 

The city limits are small and haven't been change since a very long time. Those are unrepresentative of the real size of the city. 

If Paris had the same land size than London, it would have more than 8 million inhabitants.

 

Note that Paris transportation are managed on metropolitan level, the Ile de France region with 12 million inhabitants.

 

I don't think this kind of experimantion could work on a wider level than Tallinn.

In Paris metropolitan area, the simple idea of a single fare zone was already very the costly and thus was abandoned. It would have cost more than €500 million per year.

A free transit system would means losing billions.

 

Free fare transit can work on small cities because often in those cases, the fare recovery is small.

The transit infrastructure is quite light, no subway system with high maintenance cost.

Having free transit change almost nothing, except a moderate increase of tax for residents. 

[bobtehpanda]

Not only that, but the Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greenland and Iceland) have very high standards of living.  Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland in particular are rich countries who can afford to lavish luxuries on its residents, so I don't see something like this working in other places.  It's expensive and that's why the taxes in these countries are so high.  Norway for example is rich in oil, so they can set aside monies for their residents for things that even other wealthy Western European countries can't.

 

Shh, don't call the Estonians Nordics, they might get their hopes up

 

In all seriousness though, it's easier to do in smaller systems since advertising and fares probably make up a small portion of the cost of the system. Here the fares subsidize 60+ or 70+%, and the system already suffers from chronic funding problems.

[Vistausss]

Minato ku wrote:

"Free fare transit can work on small cities because often in those cases, the fare recovery is small."

 

Depends on how much money the bus company and/or county are making. If the bus company is already making losses, then they would make even more loses with free transportation. Even in a small city. Same for the county's subsidy. If the county isn't doing too well, then funding for transportation will get cut, thus more losses when the transportation becomes free.

 

(and yes: I'm also referring to Europe here)

 

 

[ttcsubwayfan]

Never heard of something called suburbs? Comparaison between City proper numbers can be very misleading.

More than 80% of Paris metropolitan population don't live in the City of Paris. 

The city limits are small and haven't been change since a very long time. Those are unrepresentative of the real size of the city. 

If Paris had the same land size than London, it would have more than 8 million inhabitants.

 

I thought we were talking about within city limits only.

[Minato ku]

But it makes very little sense for Paris, especially on transportation level, Paris is so small that transport couldn't be managed on municipal level to be efficient.

The transportation autority, the STIF is a regional organisation. The region around Paris is more or less the size of Paris metropolitan area,  infact the statistically defined Paris metropolitan area is even larger.

Paris city limits are similar to Old Toronto in land size, smaller than the Bronx.

 

The official City of Paris is one of the smallest european capital in land size, 15 times smaller than London, 12 times smaller than Rome, almost 9 times smaller than Berlin.

It doesn't means that Paris is much smaller than those cities.

 

This is the population that Paris would have with the land size of Berlin

 

This is the population that Paris would have with the land size of London.

 

Note that by 2016, a lot of municipal functions and powers will be given to a new ententity called "Metropole de Grand Paris" which covers The city of Paris and the inner suburban ring.

The Mayor of Paris will become almost powerless. He has already no control on transportation and police, he will lose control on construction rights.

 

 

 

Minato ku wrote:

"Free fare transit can work on small cities because often in those cases, the fare recovery is small."

 

Depends on how much money the bus company and/or county are making. If the bus company is already making losses, then they would make even more loses with free transportation. Even in a small city. Same for the county's subsidy. If the county isn't doing too well, then funding for transportation will get cut, thus more losses when the transportation becomes free.

 

(and yes: I'm also referring to Europe here)

When fare recovery ratio is very small, on a small bus network with a small number of passengers, transfering tickets income to taxes is not specially heavy as much of the network cost is already covered by taxes.

There will be even some saving on the fare infrastructure cost.

No need to print tickets, no need to have and maintain validators, no need to pay fare inspectors.

 

Tallinn is a much bigger scalethan the prior case, the future will say to us if it is sustainable for a city of this size.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Shh, don't call the Estonians Nordics, they might get their hopes up

 

In all seriousness though, it's easier to do in smaller systems since advertising and fares probably make up a small portion of the cost of the system. Here the fares subsidize 60+ or 70+%, and the system already suffers from chronic funding problems.

I didn't... Estonia is part of the Baltics... I'm sure they wouldn't mind receiving that honor though. 

[Vistausss]

@Minato ku: Well, I do know that in Antwerp people older than 65 can travel for free with public transport. But after about 10 years now, they're about to make those people pay again because they make a lot of losses. So if it doesn't hold up for one specific type of people in a city where a gigantic amount of people use public transport as opposed to cars (Antwerp) then I don't see it holding up for *forever* in Talinn.

[Minato ku]

I am also rather skeptical about Tallinn case.