Why free public transportation have (not) to beat regular cars

Recently, a table presenting the most congested cities in Europe came to my hands. It turns out that the biggest car traffics are in Lodz. Ironically.

I travel a lot around Poland. When I go through Warsaw with Uber and the driver complains about traffic jams, I always laugh at myself and tell him that in Warsaw they do not know traffic jams. Krakow, unfortunately, is much better in traffic jams. Krakow just knows how to traffic.

No wonder then, that so many actions by the authorities hits the cars — removing parking spaces from the center, the growing zone of paid parking, closed zones on the estates. I hear more and more that “there is no point in having a car in Krakow”. I agree with that the most. Big cities should pursue a policy of reducing the number of cars. Lead her wisely.

In my opinion today, business is better at this policy than cities. A business who sees in traffic jams simply a chance. Ah, how much I would like this opportunity to see big cities. They want to see the good of the inhabitant and the chance!

How business does it:

1. The cost of owning a car and paying for a beer is best compared to .. Well, taxis. These, in turn, thanks to such companies as Uber or Taxify, have been incredibly cheaper. A simple bill — I have 8 km from my apartment to the office. Uber is pricing this route for around PLN 20. Two ways — PLN 40. It gives 800 PLN for twenty business days. Leasing the car, the cheapest, is about 400 PLN. We have to do 320 km a month, that is, for an economical car, half a tank — about 21 liters of fuel, or 100 PLN. Uber — 800. Own car — 500 PLN. In my opinion, it is dangerously close. When we add to this the recovered in a taxi time, which we can devote to making a few phone calls or a good book — a draw for me. Business 1: 0 city
2. Sharing economy is a trend that can not be ignored. Combined with electrification, it has caused an amazing development of transport technologies in cities. Today, you can find electric scooters everywhere, scooters that do not require docking stations and are available at any time, allowing us to … Do not have your own vehicle. Tempting. Scooter for a nice day, Uber for ugly. Business 2: 0 cities
3. City bike. Technology, product, solution that — for good reason — is going through its 5 minutes. Startups providing solutions in this area do it better from year to year — better for residents and the business itself (and indirectly also for the cities themselves and their administrators). Remember, however, that most traditional city bike systems required large investments from the city, which was to be more eco, more for people, and often more thanks to people (many of the first public bike installations were created from civic budgets, and then … well then it was more than necessary;)). Business 3: 1 cities (I give a point for cities, because by observing the market trend, you can see that at this point they quickly catch up)
4. Traficar. Traficar was the first city car for a minute, so, although it is not the only one — I will use it as the name of this group of solutions. Why have your car when you can rent it for minutes? You go as much as you want, you pay how much you drive. You do not even have to worry about the fuel level or payment for the zone — the traficar solutions take it upon themselves. Well, there is no guarantee that car will be waiting in the morning under the block, but … there are scooters, bicycles and uber! Business 4: 1 cities

Despite the fact that business perfectly solves the problem of urban mobility, there are things that can not be done. Because which business can afford to buy public transport vehicles, build tracks, bus routes, traffic lights, bus bays? And how would he earn on it?
It does not work, expenditures are too large for profits, but public communication must work, so the cities must invest.
If it does not get caught up in business, how is it profitable for the city? I was wondering about that too. So — it is not.

Reports and surveys show that no big city earns on public transport and everyone — yes, we taxpayers — pay extra. And if it does not get any more and you have to pay extra, why not make public transport free for everyone? Then its attractiveness would increase significantly, the costs related to controlling, ticket machines, validation machines, service etc. would drop.
It’s all true. Most studies show, however, that in cities where ticket prices are well suited to the possibilities of residents and tourists, free communication … does not change much. It does not cause exponential increases in the number of passengers, but only minor changes in their number.

Is it possible to do something to let people leave their cars for public transport?
Well — yes.

Public communication must be ecological itself. Investments in modern vehicles, consisting of hybrid and electric is the first, very important step to reduce emissions and increase the attractiveness of public transport. Thanks to subsidies from the Union, Polish cities undergo a huge transformation in this area, often exchanging entire fleets.

Buslane — a simple procedure that makes public communication more effective than cars in congested cities. The example of Krakow perfectly shows how much you can gain, thanks to the fast tram line with the priority of passage, or a special lane for buses and emergency vehicles. With a smile I look at the drivers who curse in traffic jams (including myself in the mirror), with jealousy watching the bus ahead of them.

The quality of accompanying infrastructure — sheds, approaches to the world, pedestrian crossings — are also important — they should all increase the quality of public transport.

The shed that provides information in real time, is heated, charges phones and provides free WiFi or gamification while waiting?
Safe cube for the blind and a wide strip around the shed so that there is a place for everyone? In addition to concrete, which purifies the air?
Traffic lights giving pedestrian priority so that they can reach the public transport vehicle?
Automatic payments charged directly from the account using the city’s mobile application or city card, to avoid ticket worries?

These are technologies that today provide domestic companies to cities. They are available on the market, for taking, ready for integration.

Cities need only one, albeit a very important element — decision-making. Executions.

So that there is always:
Business 1: 1 City
Resident: 2