Thai government decides to keep free bus lines and free 3rd class train tickets

สำนักข่่าวแห่งชาติ : Free public bus & train services to continue for 6 more months: "BANGKOK, 31 March 2013 (NNT) - The mobile Cabinet meeting has decided to extend the free transport service, intended for low-income public, for another six months.

Government Spokesman Tossaporn Serirak said on Sunday the assistance measures, previously scheduled to end in March, will be extended until the end of September instead.

The free service includes public buses and third-class train rides."

60% Tallinn residents used public transport in February :: The Baltic Course | Baltic States news & analytics

60% Tallinn residents used public transport in February :: The Baltic Course | Baltic States news & analytics: "According to the data of public surveys, in February, 60% of Tallinn's inhabitants used the public transport means motivated by possibility to go by transport for free, reports LETA, referring to Tallinn municipality."

Capital Region Town Introduces Free Public Transport | Economy | News | ERR

Photo: Postimees/Scanpix 

Capital Region Town Introduces Free Public Transport | Economy | News | ERR: "The town of Keila has announced a flash decision to switch to free public transport - but without those potentially troublesome farecards.
The move, set to take effect on February 1, was approved at a city council sitting on Tuesday. "

300 percent jump in ridership - thanks to free transit

Transit plan promotes ways to reach remote areas | NewsChief.com: "On April 24, Polk State College started subsidizing free public transportation for its 20,000 students, faculty and staff. Southeastern University and Everest University in Lakeland have done it, Phillips said. The Transit Authority has been talking with Florida Southern College.

Mayor Kay Hutzelman asked about Webber International University and Warner University, but Phillips said they haven't taken the offer, yet.

Riders to and from Polk State averaged 2,400 rides per month before the arrangement, Phillips said.

In October, the total number was 9,857 rides, he said."

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AppalCART Sets Record for System-Wide Ridership | High Country Press

AppalCART Sets Record for System-Wide Ridership | High Country Press: "The AppalCART system is growing each year. The first year in operation, the AppalCART only saw 286,000 passengers for the entire year. That number can now be matched in a month."

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Free Transit big success in Châteauroux

What Really Happens When a City Makes Its Transit System Free? - Jobs & Economy - The Atlantic Cities: "Mayet, a member of France’s socialist party, did what few mayors confronted with a struggling mass transit system would do: he made the whole thing free.

Ever since, the otherwise ordinary French town has become a canary in the coal mine of transportation policy, closely watched by the dozens of other municipalities in various stages of free transit experiments. According to a report [PDF, French] released this year, per person ridership in Châteauroux has jumped from 21 trips a year to 61. Total ridership is up 208 percent in 11 years."

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Free buses in China to encourage public transport

In a bid to encourage people to choose public transportation, the southwest Chinese city of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, waived bus fares and offered discounts on metro fares from today.
According to a spokesman with the Chengdu Municipal Public Transport Group Corp, the free bus fare policy will remain in effect until June 30 next year.
Today, 33 bus routes went fare-free, and the number will increase to 44 by the end of the month.
The mega-city on Monday introduced a regulation ordering some vehicles off the streets on certain days depending on the license plate numbers, a system that has also been carried out in Beijing and some other Chinese cities to help ease traffic congestion.
However, the vehicle restriction and bus fare exemption policy brought new troubles this morning, drawing larger-than-ever crowds to bus and metro stations, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Many netizens vented on Sina Weibo, China's popular microblogging service, complaining that they could not catch a bus in the morning.
"Today, I was lost in Chengdu's chaotic public transport system," wrote netizen 'Hejin firefly'.
The company will continue to improve public transport services by adding bus shuttles and opening more bus routes, among other measures, to cope with increasing demand for public transport, the spokesman for the public transport company said.
Despite the complaints, citizens in other Chinese cities such as Nanjing, Ningbo and Shenzhen called for other cities to usher in such incentives.
Like all big cities in China, Chengdu sees heavy traffic jams, especially during weekday rush hours, with drivers complaining about slow movement of vehicles during peak traffic times in the city's downtown.
The three cities, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have restricted the purchase of new cars to ease traffic on the roads.

Indian Express, 10 Oct 2012. Beijing.