Thorough study of fare-free public transportation

Free urban transit is a growing trend. In 2016, there were no less than 107 entirely fare-free public transport networks around the world, including over 30 just in France (CGTPAG 2016; Keblowski 2016).

https://www.metropolitiques.eu/Dunkirk-as-a-New-Laboratory-for-Free-Transit.html

Worcester, MA, case for fare-free public transit

Public transportation is treated differently. The Worcester Regional Transit Authority charges most adults $1.75 per trip to board the bus, a disincentive to make use of what could be a cornerstone of the region’s transportation network. Ridership is dropping, declining 23 percent between 2016—before the latest fare hike—and 2018. Last year had the fewest passenger trips since a driver strike in 2005, and the lowest in a non-strike year since tracking began in 1991.

http://www.wrrb.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/WRRB-FareFree-Transit-Report.pdf 

Reasons for fare-free public transit - It works.

Recently I met the people who run Island Transit in Whidbey Island, Wash., and rode their fare-free bus system. It’s a serious operation with 56 buses and 101 vans. Ridership tops a million a year. Its operating budget is $8,392,677 – none of it from fares, all from a 0.6 percent sales tax collected in Island County.
Despite the pressure to conform, the pressure to make users pay and the pressure from conservative politicians at all levels, Island Transit has been fare-free from day one and is proudly so 20 years later. Not one Island Transit bus, shelter or van has advertising on it. All of Island Transit’s buses are bike rack equipped and wheelchair accessible. For folks with disabilities, Island Transit also offers a paratransit service with door-to-door service.

#Publictransit #publictransport means more walking

Over 92% of bus riders walk to the bus stop.
Victoria Transport Policy Institute

Public transport promotes walking

The quality of public transit, and the degree it is integrated into a community, significantly
affects travel activity. As service quality improves and communities become more transitoriented, residents tend to own fewer vehicles, drive less and rely more on alternative modes (walking, cycling and public transit) than they otherwise would (ICF 2008; Litman 2007).

Walking to public transit: steps to help meet physical activity recommendations.

PubMed - NCBI: "Americans who use transit spend a median of 19 minutes daily walking to and from transit; 29% achieve > or =30 minutes of physical activity a day solely by walking to and from transit. In multivariate analysis, rail users, minorities, people in households earning <$15,000 a year, and people in high-density urban areas were more likely to spend > or =30 minutes walking to and from transit daily."

2003 Yale study of Automobile Externalities and Free Transit

...Since the abolishment of all transit fares for the entire urban area in July 1997, ridership has increased by more than 1,000 percent (City of Hasselt 2000). The reasoning behind the idea of fare free transit is the following: A considerable modal shift from car travel to public transportation makes the construction of new roads unnecessary, and existing roads can even be built back...