The challenge
The city wanted to cut car use and make it easier for low-income residents to get around.
The case
In January 2013 Tallinn, Estonia's capital, became the largest city in the world to offer free public transport to all its registered residents. A survey of 1,500 households, carried out just before and almost a year after the change, found public transport use rose by 14% and the mobility of low-income residents improved. The share of trips made by car fell slightly, from 32% to 29%, while walking fell from 12% to 7%. A separate analysis of city-wide data found free fares alone accounted for an increase of only 1.2% in passenger demand, with the rest of the rise due to new bus priority lanes and more frequent service. Fares were already low and public transport use was already high.
Why the results were mixed
Where fares are already cheap, making transit free mainly helps people who already ride or would otherwise walk; it does little to lure drivers. Faster, more frequent service did more to raise ridership.
Sources
- Cats, O., Susilo, Y.O. & Reimal, T. (2017). The prospects of fare-free public transport: evidence from Tallinn. Transportation, 44(5), 1083–1104.
- Cats, O., Reimal, T. & Susilo, Y. (2014). Public transport pricing policy: empirical evidence from a fare-free scheme in Tallinn, Estonia. Transportation Research Record.
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