> not simply make all public transit free
Not sure if Barcelona has this problem, but in New York, that would turn the subway system into a moving homeless camp.
Not sure if Barcelona has this problem, but in New York, that would turn the subway system into a moving homeless camp.
In most cities I've lived homeless people don't pay fares regardless. Considering fare enforcement is very expensive, I imagine making it completely free would be be cheaper. The Utopian in me imagines a struggling working class person saving a significant amount of money. To us, 200 or 400$ a month for public transportation isn't a big deal, but if your only making 2k a month that's a ton of money.
I already pay sky high taxes, I figure the city can pay for public transportation out of that.
Fare enforcement is one of the few pro arguments for the broken window theory. I've never been on any subway system in the US that didn't have attendants near the gates and they have no qualms stopping trains while the transit police come. Homeless people get on the train and ride all day but they put in their couple dollars at the beginning of the trip.
Cops generally don't care if a homeless person jumps a turnstile.
In my ideal world of course you'd still have tons of cameras and attendants for security. Expensive public transit is horribly regressive.
Even if they do, they'll just give the homeless guy a citation which he'll never pay. Don't get me wrong, the cops should definitely still handle crimes on the trains, as well as anyone who's trying to live there.