Would you use public transport more if it was free?

parawolf · 05-03-2006, 05:24 PM

http://tinyurl.com/oyczp

Ideas are being considered by certain people that free public transport for all users (with it being built into your council rates for something like $40 per year for the entire household) in an effort to reduce Melbourne reliance on the car.

So - if public transport was free (assume you pay nothing for it - lets not consider the council rates idea at the moment) would you use it over getting in the car?

eg: Shopping?
Travel to work?
Social travel (movies, bars, etc, )
In preference to taxi's? assuming it would be run 24x7.

ClevlndStemer · 05-03-2006, 05:26 PM

no i wouldn't...i'd use it as much as I would now...rarely

Sourbastard · 05-03-2006, 05:30 PM

Id use it if I didnt need my car for work.

-jjM- · 05-03-2006, 05:45 PM

id use it if i took me directly to where i wanted to go

eb_5litre · 05-03-2006, 05:53 PM

I wouldnt.... have you seen the general public lately???

xurbanx · 05-03-2006, 05:57 PM

To uni then yes, but anywhere else (save the night out) I'll drive the car (:

347_XR8 · 05-03-2006, 06:07 PM

No, i hate public transport. I always get lost

coyote · 05-03-2006, 06:09 PM

The other advantage in free puplic transport is that it would cost considerably less to proovide - stay withy me here --

If you take all the funds that are consumed in producing tickets, colecting money, chasing non payers, the security for allof the above there would be less required to provide the services.

Also if the services were provided free than many more people would use it, My next door neighbour drives into town every day as the puplic transport actually costs him more than driving his car (maybe not allowing for maintence etc but that is his perception.)

Also by more people utilising public transport that frees up the road system for the comercial uses which indirectly cost tham less to run, and directly less in time and fuel.

Lets be honest it costs the same to run an empty train as a full one so they should make it available to the masses who's taxes provided the system in the first place.

You should also consider the group that desparatly need the puplic transport system now , the aged, the young and the inexperienced, all sociodemographics that need the support. Probably not the majority of the FF users.

coyote · 05-03-2006, 06:13 PM

Forgot something -

The other point is that for a family to go into southbank to go to the motorshow costs way too much.

We have 5 kids and if we went by train / bus it would cost a whole lot more than a 50 km trip in a Diesel Cruiser

We could just about run two cars in ther for that cost.

unless you are on your own public transport just costs way too much

eb_5litre · 05-03-2006, 06:35 PM

I wouldnt care if they paid me to travel on it.... i'm serious... theres some weird freaks out there. Not to mention screaming kids, people with seriously bad body odour, agro dikheads. disrespectful minors, people that cant speak english etc the list goes on. And i'm not racist... I hate everybody equally.

vztrt · 05-03-2006, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eb_5litre

I wouldnt care if they paid me to travel on it.... i'm serious... theres some weird freaks out there. Not to mention screaming kids, people with seriously bad body odour, agro dikheads. disrespectful minors, people that cant speak english etc the list goes on. And i'm not racist... I hate everybody equally.

Dosn't matter what line your on there is always some fu(kwit out there.
If the public transport was just as or a little less convienient than me driving to my destination than I would use public transport.

Eithor · 05-03-2006, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eb_5litre

I wouldnt care if they paid me to travel on it.... i'm serious... theres some weird freaks out there. Not to mention screaming kids, people with seriously bad body odour, agro dikheads. disrespectful minors, people that cant speak english etc the list goes on. And i'm not racist... I hate everybody equally.

Dude i have to agree with u 100% on that people these days scare me :/
but
I would proabley use it once in blue moon to go city for a night in the clubs with mates. save drink driving

eb_5litre · 05-03-2006, 06:46 PM

Thats what I mean... they're everywhere so why would I subject myself to it if I have my own vehicle.

Falcon Freak · 05-03-2006, 06:51 PM

No. Because even if it was free it would still be useless. Firstly the services would become overcrowded. Secondly the way the public transport is laid out, it is difficult to find services which travel in any direction other than to or from the CBD.

FF

Eithor · 05-03-2006, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon Freak

No. Because even if it was free it would still be useless. Firstly the services would become overcrowded.
FF

Yeah i find at peak time its overcrowded all ready i would hate to see it with a 30% increase of people it would be like japans rail system :/ which works but here in australia it would'nt work :P

Van D · 05-03-2006, 07:00 PM

If they put more money into security and making stations a better place, perhaps.

Falcon Freak · 05-03-2006, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eithor

Yeah i find at peak time its overcrowded all ready i would hate to see it with a 30% increase of people it would be like japans rail system :/ which works but here in australia it would'nt work :P

I've experienced the Tokyo subway at it's busiest. I've never seen anything like it! No need to hold on to anything as the shear mass of bodies means that you physically can't fall over. How do these people do this on a daily basis I do not understand. It wouldn't work here as Australian society isn't as tolerant as the Japanese society. There'd be :jab: galore.

FF

BlueJ · 05-03-2006, 07:26 PM

Simple answer? Making it free will help a bit, but not much. Public transport has too many problems, cost is only one of them.

First is frequency of service. I think frequency is the key for public transport. Less waiting @ stops means more convenience, which leads to more passengers, simple. When we get in our cars we don't have to wait, we just go. I would use the tram more if I didn't have to wait up to 20 minutes (which is normal outside the morning/afternoon peaks).

Second is the routes available. In Melbourne public transport is only really convenient for people who live close to the city and also work there, and then only if they are close to a train or tram line at each end of the journey. This is because all the train lines and 95% of the tram lines radiate outwards from city centre. To greatly increase the number of people using public transport, a lot of money would need to be spent putting in train lines where they don't currently go.

And a lot of money would need to be spent on signalling etc because the train network is at capacity in peak hours anyway.

Some of the $800m+ spent making trains to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and the Latrobe valley just a few minutes faster could have been better spent, methinks.

And even if all this was done, public transport would still only suit a minority of people. Most people don't do simple 2-way trips to the city centre on a daily basis.

I think public transport is too large a problem, I doubt I will see it solved in my lifetime. Happy to be proved wrong.

I think the congestion and pollution issues caused by our high level of car ownership will require a technical solution. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars will go a long way to solve pollution issues.

I have no idea how to solve congestion. Putting petrol tax up 300% would be one way to do it, with the side effect of making the government who did it un-electable for 10 years.

**Mechan1k** · 05-03-2006, 07:37 PM

Seeing my nearest station is is 20 minutes drive away from home .. it's the end of the line and it would take over 2 hours to get to work on the train ... ummm ... no I wouldn't use it ... especially when i work 12 hour shifts ... I'd end up with 3-4 hours sleep a night/day (depending on what shift I do) ... and my working day/night becomes a 20 hour day/night.

Ummm ... no thanks.

BlueRaven · 05-03-2006, 07:40 PM

I would probably use it no more than I currently do.

I travel to the city in the train to and from work, 5 days a week.

Why? Consider this.

It costs me $33.60 a week to travel to the city by train. Its about 5kms away from my house, so I use around 50kms of fuel a week...equalling maybe 20 bucks or so? It would cost me over 70 bucks a week in fuel (including weekend travel) and an additonal 70 bucks a week in parking to drive in.

So the immediate cost would be around $150 a week, as opposed to an estimate of $55 for public transport.

The peak hours for work have normal, sane, unnoisey people generally. Any kids have to hop off the seat if you want to sit there and mp3 players block out all sound. To top it off, I have no sense of smell either :P

fiery · 05-03-2006, 08:05 PM

No I still would not use it....
I may contemplate it only if the situation was absolutely totally dire!!!!!!!!

Other words, if I can't drive (or be driven there) I don't and won't go!!!!!!

:

snypereb · 05-03-2006, 08:28 PM

Not with the stuff that goes on, on public transport in melbourne lots of murders lately!!

Martyvan · 05-03-2006, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiery

Other words, if I can't drive (or be driven there) I don't and won't go!!!!!!

:

If the alcoholic intake exceeds the fuel bill for the week, would be best to catch public transport or a cab

Maybe the government should provide free maxi taxi's. That would solve all night issues with regards to buses and train's and lack of a sufficient timetable. But would increase congestion during the day somewhat.

coyote · 05-03-2006, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martyvan

If the alcoholic intake exceeds the fuel bill for the week, would be best to catch public transport or a cab

Maybe the government should provide free maxi taxi's. That would solve all night issues with regards to buses and train's and lack of a sufficient timetable. But would increase congestion during the day somewhat.

Cabs are a form of public transport

Martyvan · 05-03-2006, 09:28 PM

Yes, they are public transport in the fact that ANYONE can hail a cab, or get one at a cab rank. They are not public transport by the fact that you dont have to share them with anyone. You basically have your own Private Vehicle... Does that make sense... I hope so, coz i am making this up as i go along

Penelope Pitstop · 05-03-2006, 09:28 PM

I would never ever subject myself to public transport.

I agree with a few of the others I value my own personal space far too much to use public transport.

I have worked face to face with the general public and that in itself makes me aware of the unhygenic practises of other people and I won't put myself in a situation where I might come into contact with them.

XA Coupsta · 05-03-2006, 10:11 PM

Yeh I use public transport everyday. Bus.

I actually dont find it too bad yknow. Although lately the damn express service I catch has been coming through already full. So it takes a couple of them (they run about every 10mins) before I can get on one. Not a good sign........its obviously struggling with the amount of people using it now.

Saves me heaps of cash by catching it. Whilst I too valuable my personal space..........my financial situation doesnt afford me to not 'subject' myself to public transport.............(its not a disease!).....

**Falcon Coupe** · 05-03-2006, 10:19 PM

No...............

Deadman · 05-03-2006, 10:22 PM

Never

Casper · 05-03-2006, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XA Coupsta

Yeh I use public transport everyday. Bus.

I actually dont find it too bad yknow. Although lately the damn express service I catch has been coming through already full. So it takes a couple of them (they run about every 10mins) before I can get on one. Not a good sign........its obviously struggling with the amount of people using it now.

Saves me heaps of cash by catching it. Whilst I too valuable my personal space..........my financial situation doesnt afford me to not 'subject' myself to public transport.............(its not a disease!).....

I agree. I use it as its convenient and as fast as driving. I look at it this way:

Public Transport
Monthly train/bus/tram ticket... $100
Bit of uncomfortable travel into work reading a good book (when I'm not flying interstate)... tolerable.

Driving
Monthly parking (based on 18 days a month)... $225
Fuel... $250
wear and tear on the car... too much
fear of getting nailed by some moron in peak hour... WAY too much
time saved over public transport... about 15 minutes each way

Overall.. the Public transport suits my situation financially and mentally. And I get to enjoy my car without sitting in gridlock.