Professor admits that fares exist to discourage ridership

Free public transport? | 3AWNeilMitchell: "Surely it would be better if we just made public transport free?"

In this taped interview it is agreed that free public transport would result in a 20% increase in ridership. But it was also agreed that this is a bad idea, since the buses and trains in Melbourne are already full in peak hours. That means that fares are there to ration by discouraging ridership. Instead the response should be that if 20% more people are willing to take public transport we should invest in more equipment.