Public transport in Melbourne becomes a totally free service.
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What effect will this have on costs?
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1. Automated ticket machines are not required, saving the PTC literally
millions of dollars in installation and maintenance costs.
2. The bearly human versions are sacked - another million dollar saving.
3. The PTC's own Gestapo (aka Revenue Protection Officers) can be sacked
and used as landfill - a million dollar saving and just plain fun.
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What effect will this have on society?
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1. Without Revenue Protection Officers roaming the carriages like hungry
vultures, looking for fair evaders(#) to fulfil their quota, passengers
would be able to relax and enjoy the ride.
2. University students, who are seen as "dole bludging and a tax
draining"(##) by an alarming many PTC staff, would not leave university
with a chip on their shoulder because they are falsely accused of fair
evasion.
3. Individuals are encouraged to use public transport, as it is free,
instead of driving their car. Society benefits by fewer incidences of
asthma attacks, cancer, etc from the deadly cocktail of chemicals that
are expelled from the exhausts of motor vechiles, due to a decrease in
vechile related pollution.
4. Road extensions, over and underpasses, new roads, etc, are not
required due to the decrease in motor vechile traffic - saving taxpayers
billions.
5. Individuals who take the train instead of driving are more relaxed at
work, thus being more efficient and productive for business - increasing
company earnings by billions.
6. Melbourne becomes a friendlier place, because people are meeting each
other on the train.
7. Tourist enjoy free transport while visiting Melbourne, and cancel
their plans to visit the expensive transport city of Sydney - increasing
tourist dollars spent in Melbourne by millions each year.
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But how will the PTC be funded?
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1. Companies will be able to buy a share in a station, and accompanying
advertising space. Public transport users more than triple and so does
that companies exposure.
2. As with many existing trams, trains will be made available to
companies to advertise their wares.
3. The PTC can introduce the 'Nite Train' - a three carriage moving
night club, that tours Melbourne as it pumps out the latest funky
grooves to its hip passengers. A pre-determined route means that
passengers get on and off at the same station, saving them from a long
drive home - decreasing pollution and the rate of drink-drive
fatalities. Profts from the 'Nite Train' go to funding the PTC.
4. Other services could be introduced on the train, such as on board
news agencies, language classes (###) and gaming machines (####).
5. Tax - while not the most popular word, would be an option. Currently
a monthly concession Zone 1 and 2 ticket costs $53. By spreading the
cost of the PTC over the whole population, this cost in theory could be
more than cut in half!
6. It should be noted that Melbourne's public transport has never made a
profit. Nor to many other transport services outside Australia. The
funding methods that I have suggested would only subsidise the overall
cost - exactly what is occurring now!
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But public transport could not withstand such an increase in
passengers! Could it?
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1. Certainly, the current trains would have to be upgraded to carry more
passengers, but aren't they due to be refitted anyway?
2. New tracks would have to be laid, but much of this is already in
progress (ie. the Glen Wavereley line, etc).
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But isn't if unfair to tax those who don't use public transport?
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1. It is their choice not to use public transport. Why drive when you
can get free transport anyway?
2. Those who are priviledged to drive to work can probably afford to pay
an increase in their tax anyway.
3. Obvious considerations would have to be made for those few who do not
have access to any public transport (ie. rural areas, etc).
I think you will see that free public transport is not as ludicrous as
you may have initially thought.
_____
(#) Individuals who were unable to purchase a valid ticket because the
automated ticket machine would not accept their $5 note and the ticket
window was closed, or individals who were completely baffled by the
automated ticket system outright.
(##) Which Philip Di Piero, a 'Customer Service Officer' for the PTC,
allegedly accused student Andrew Morgan of.
(###) Don't laugh, it has happened!
(####) You knew it had to happen!