Free public transport is not a utopia, but could it be a panacea? There are many positive aspects to advocating for free public transport, but in a capitalist system, we must remain vigilant, as this demand could be co-opted by the wealthy. Here are a few examples of potential harmful side effects where free travel might not be transformative: gentrification and urban renewal; the maintenance of forms of control, security, and data collection; pricing aimed at equality rather than equity; the expansion of services without direct democracy; and the continued “cohabitation” with vehicles.
First, the development of free public transit can lead to collateral effects, such as a rise in rents around the network's corridors, contributing to gentrification. Gentrification involves the displacement of neighborhoods, people, and communities due to speculation and increased property values. As illustrated in this newspaper's comic strip, the main driver of gentrification is value capture. To the chagrin of tenants, wealthy landlords or vulture corporations purchase housing primarily for profit, leading to increased rents. With free transit, interest in areas near transit stations—now accessible without cost—could grow. The concept of transit-oriented development—or displacement, which more accurately reflects its disruptive effects—will then be employed by urban planners, resulting in urban renewal and densification of these neighborhoods. Although densification is often promoted as a solution to urban sprawl, it does not guarantee that existing residents won't be displaced or that rental costs won't soar. For a city, maintaining the right of its residents to stay in their neighborhoods is challenged by property tax revenue, which remains the primary means of funding the municipal apparatus without asking “Papa État” to finance it.
An often-cited example is Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, where free travel was introduced and deemed a success—showing increased ridership, migration to the city, and economic spin-offs. However, certain aspects are often overlooked, such as the fact that free travel is only available to registered residents of the city. This means that the entire apparatus of control—tickets, inspectors, police, cameras, and other forms of enforcement—is maintained to ensure that unregistered individuals are excluded from this privilege. Other mass transit systems, such as the one in Montreal, are also increasing police presence in the network and drastically increasing their funding—see the article “Parking – It’s Political!” for more on this subject. Achieving partial free transit, while marginalizing certain groups in a manner similar to the racial and colonial capitalist system, would not lead to collective liberation or a truly radical and inclusive transformation. Moreover, the systematic collection of personal data—from cameras at passageways to biometric information—is often cited as the new gold rush. Corporations are rubbing their hands at the potential to exploit the public's personal data to better market their products and services, while the state may use this data to unleash its police dogs on so-called wrongdoers, all in the name of crafting and controlling the ideal citizen.
Contrary to what capitalists claim, free is not truly free, and some people will end up paying the bill. Some champions of free transport, such as municipalities, may pass their expenses onto middle-class car owners through mileage taxes, registration taxes, transit taxes, toll booths, and onto residences through property taxes. This technique, which taxes both the less affluent and wealthy without progressive income-based adjustments, is not new. It is both unfair and likely to generate frustration toward public transport, which is often wrongly blamed for high taxpayer costs. Additionally, relying on taxes on private property—whether housing or vehicles—to fund municipalities encourages the maintenance of such private property on a large scale. Consequently, the City may be reluctant to reduce the number of vehicles for fear of losing metropolitan revenue.
The City of Montreal has already made public transport free, but unsurprisingly, it has made sure to impose clear limits. For example, on September 27, 2019, during the climate protest—which seemed more like greenwashing than a genuine step towards free travel—free transport was provided for just one day. In 2022, free transport was available only on summer weekends, with stations located primarily downtown and not in neighborhoods where the cost of passage is a real barrier. This illustrates the danger and limitations of a neoliberal state offering free public transport, as seen in Tallinn, where the state implemented free public transit, but significant shortcomings remained. Just when it seems that progress is being made, inequalities persist if users have not been involved in the decision-making process. Free transport provided by the state without a struggle also diminishes the possibility of transforming power dynamics and increasing public participation in decisions about their lives and communities.
Finally, given the previously mentioned argument about dependence on vehicle taxation and the culture of cars, it is very likely that free public transport would be designed in a way that preserves the current dominance of vehicles in both urban and rural environments. This would make virtually no difference to pollution levels and would continue to expose people to the risks of being coerced, pushed, or even run over by these metal monsters—just soon to be electric, yee-haw! In such a scenario, the city would remain covered in excessive asphalt and concrete, making way for the car. The looming climate apocalypse would persist, leading to more floods, heat islands, and fatalities. At least, we would have managed to get around for free…!
Other examples illustrate how free public transport can be limited and even exacerbate the oppression of already marginalized populations. It is crucial to view free, widespread, and accessible public transport as just one element of collective liberation. It must be connected with other issues to achieve a truly radical and inclusive transformation.