Quote:
Originally Posted by jmecklenborg
The streetcar started operating in 2016. It went fare-free in 2020 and ridership is trending sharply upward, even though downtown and evening entertainment is still pretty sleepy as compared to pre-pandemic. It appears to me that a lot of people who used to take Metro buses short distances are instead riding the free streetcar, even if it doesn't go as close to their destination as a specific bus.
Here is a new video:
https://fb.watch/9CEKY31z2X/ |
Sorry I am late to this conversation but I can personally tell you that LA Metro went completely lax on fare enforcement during the pandemic and it's set to end soon. Metro Bus was basically free used rear door boarding only. I used to be against free transit and didn't believe it would do much to encourage ridership, or that the benefit would be minimal, but I started using the busses much more than I did before.
I guess it's a psychological thing were I don't have to worry about payment. Just removing that one step makes it all the more convenient to use.