Unclog the Freeways With Free Bus Rides

Los Angeles is the land of the freeway. Now we need free transit.

The city is slowly grinding to a halt. The average freeway speed is now 31 m.p.h.; by 2010 it will be 11. For every mile of congested freeway today, there will be 22 then. Half of all travel time will be spent in stalled traffic. Rush hour, now four hours, will be six.

The costs of this congestion already are enormous. Businesses suffer from lost wages and productivity. Consumers pay through lost time, gas, increased insurance costs and the sheer frustration from being unable to move. The Southern California Assn. of Governments puts the current price tag at about $6 billion annually. By 2010, it predicts, the cost will climb to over $55 billion, or about $6.50 per day per person based on today’s dollars.

Construction has begun on Metro Rail and light-rail systems, and this should relieve some congestion. But it won’t be enough. Both immediate and long-range solutions are needed to keep Los Angeles commuters and our economy moving.

Free transit would immediately relieve congestion. A “free fare” policy would offer the most powerful incentive to get people out of their cars and into mass transit systems. And it would unclog the freeways for those who wanted to continue using their cars. Immediately, more people would start using the RTD to go to work, during lunch, for shopping trips and entertainment. Eventually, free transit would help Metro Rail, light rail and other transit systems operate more effectively.

Many people hesitate to ride the bus today because of complaints about the level of service. More riders could demand--and get--better service.

And best of all, free transit is one option we can choose now.

Would bus ridership increase? You bet. When the RTD fare was cut from 85 cents to 50 cents a few years ago, the number of riders increased by 30%--from 1.1 million daily to 1.6 million. But when the fares went back to 85 cents in 1986, ridershipdropped back 15% to 1.35 million daily.How much would it cost? Not nearly as much as the $110 billion that planners estimate is necessary just to maintain our freeway system at the same pace as today. An efficient transit system, planners say, could cut that estimate by $60 billion.

Fares today pay only a small fraction of the RTD costs, amounting to less than $200 million of a total budget of $885 million. Plus, the fare box is an inefficient and counterproductive means of funding public transportation. Collecting fares and handing out transfers dramatically reduces driver productivity, drawing attention away from safety matters. It also necessitates a major bookkeeping operation. So, while the number of drivers inevitably would increase, the number of administrative personnel could be cut.

Funding for free fares could come from a mix of sources including a gas tax, a parking surcharge, the Proposition A mass-transit sales tax fund or through benefit assessment fees. We pay for freeways through general taxation. Why should buses and public transportation be any different? That’s particularly true when the social and environmental benefits of getting people out of their cars are considered.

A free-fare program would have other benefits. Our air would improve as cars are left in their garages. It would reduce auto insurance costs and get many uninsured drivers off the roads. It would greatly facilitate the flow of goods and services and get workers and shoppers to their destinations. Efficient transportation systems make us all more productive and fulfilled in both our work and leisure pursuits.

If Los Angeles is to avoid the creeping paralysis of gridlock, bold new solutions are required. A mix of transportation forms will be necessary, but free transit is the quickest and best solution. It should be implemented right away.