Does a “user pay” transport system really serve the whole community? Our David Brown has just presented a paper at a major international transport conference in Singapore that says we have to go beyond just making money.
“User pays” sounds like a good way to run a transport system but while private industry must make a profit, governments must ensure that those who are “transport poor” get the chance to access opportunities.
With modern digital systems companies can cheery pick the best markets. They could give priority to a CEO can afford a $100 fare to get to lunch on time, if he or she or you or I have a heart attack the nurse may not be able to pay for priority to get to emergency department on time.
People with a disability, school children or people in regional areas need to be considered on more than just how much money they have.