Transcript:
A few years ago, Iowa City took a bold step. It made every ride on every city bus free.
The city wanted to help people avoid driving, which creates a lot of planet-warming carbon pollution.
And it worked. Sarah Gardner, Iowa City’s climate action coordinator, says that in the first year of free fares, cars in the city drove 1.8 million fewer miles, and bus ridership jumped.
Gardner: “Our ridership increased 43%, and it has continued to grow even after that, so more and more people are getting on the bus.”
Last year, the city council extended the free fares and paid for them in part by raising parking fees – creating another reason to take the bus.
The city has also run programs to promote the bus, like having artists decorate bus stops and hosting a contest to see which route gained the most new riders.
Gardner: “Everybody on that bus got doughnuts in the morning, which was quite popular, as you can imagine.”
Gardner says increasing bus ridership has benefits beyond reducing emissions. It frees up the road for bikes and pedestrians and helps neighbors to get to know each other.
Gardner: “And I am just so proud of the way the community has both embraced fare-free transit and also benefited from it.”
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
