Turns out people don’t really want free transit.
In mid-May, I wrote about Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s free and fast bus promise — one of his buzziest affordability pitches for New York City. The plan to eliminate bus fares is ambitious, set to cost the city and state up to $1 billion, and has the complicating factor that no-fare buses have a track record of being slow.
From conversations with a dozen riders on Manhattan’s busiest line, I learned that most New Yorkers would rather shell out $3, as long as their bus arrives on time. Most told me that a reliable commute is a service worth supporting.
After the story was published, a flood of reader comments on the story and social media shared a similar theme. What many people want is a rush hour they can rely on, even if it’s a small hit to their budget. A few said that free services would better serve low-income households, while others wrote that “nothing is free” as long as they’re paying taxes.
It’s an ongoing question in NYC, alongside Mamdani’s efforts to expand universal 2-K childcare and bolster the social safety net. Other no-cost services include public libraries — which the mayor is investing heavily in — as well as public schools, parks, bathrooms, pools, and more.
The discourse made us curious. Do people want free things? Should a city provide them? Where is the line between services that cost nothing and ones that are worth paying for?
Tell us your thoughts below.
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