70% of WMATA bus riders don't pay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a single person responding to this thread has given me a legitimate reason the DC government can’t just make WMATA buses free. If they made them free, it would instantly solve the so-called issue of “fare evasion.”

Problem solved!

In order for public transit to operate effectively it has to be a good, safe option for the general public to ride in enough number that it legitimately eases traffic congestion and arguably helps the economy too with people going to work, schools, etc. When too many people aren’t paying it begins to feel less safe and riders of means stay away, causing more road congestion, worse service, etc. We finally see Metro trains safety stats much improved with fare enforcement, the return of federal workers and more critical mass of commuter traffic. These systems cost money to run. Allowing it to be taken over by those who can’t or won’t pay will further drive away potential riders and make the system less economically viable to the region. There are already subsidized fare cards.

I see it differently. I think public transportation should be free for everyone, because it is in the public interest for people to use public transportation - in the same way we subsidize roads, schools, parks, museums, libraries, etc.

Subsidizing fare cards may make it more accessible for those whose transportation options are limited by their finances, but if a rider doesn’t qualify for the subsidy, they may well decide in a comparison of the costs/benefits of public transportation to driving and parking, that they might as well just take their car. If it were free, that would shift the balance so that “riders of means” would be more likely to choose WMATA, bringing with them whatever safety gains may be associated with their ridership.

If more drivers decided to take advantage of public transportation, it would reduce gas consumption, pollution, and congestion. Moreover, I think making it more affordable to come into the city on Metro without having to hassle with the traffic and then finding and paying for parking would encourage more people to come into the city for restaurants, shows, etc., stimulating DC’s economy.

Fine with this concept if we have a workfare system where every able bodied adult on public assistance is in skill training or doing public service work.

But if we keep giving handouts the “freeloader” class will just expect more and more free stuff.

"Freeloader class"? WTF is wrong with you?

Nothing. Believe in a society that provides a hand up not a perpetual hand out.

I'm sure you apply that equally to the billionaires as the working people. You must be very mad about all the handouts to them also, right? A couple of billion for Trump's buddies? Insider trading worth who knows how many trillions? But yeah, go on about $2 fare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
But if we keep giving handouts the “freeloader” class will just expect more and more free stuff.

Breathtakingly racist.

[Anonymous]

Did read the whole thread, but I recently learned that you can just tap your credit card to pay on buses, like you can at metro. My smart trip would run out and I wouldn’t pay because it’s hard to add fare, but now I just tap my credit card.

My kids both qualify for kids ride freee but rarely have their cards on them, and say the drivers never ask for them. We actually got into a fight about this when they insisted their metro rides to Tyson’s from dc was free due to their being DCPS students.

My suggestion to whomever wins for mayor: make buses free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did read the whole thread, but I recently learned that you can just tap your credit card to pay on buses, like you can at metro. My smart trip would run out and I wouldn’t pay because it’s hard to add fare, but now I just tap my credit card.

My kids both qualify for kids ride freee but rarely have their cards on them, and say the drivers never ask for them. We actually got into a fight about this when they insisted their metro rides to Tyson’s from dc was free due to their being DCPS students.

My suggestion to whomever wins for mayor: make buses free.

Is there a District school in Tyson's Corner? Why would rides outside of the District be free under a District program?

https://ddot.dc.gov/page/kids-ride-free-program

[Anonymous]

It costs WMATA an average of $6.45 to operate a bus for a single rider. Through fares, they only recover 7%. Getting those 70% to pay wouldn't do much but reduce ridership. Making the metrobus free outside of rushhour for high occupied lines would cause ridership to go up and would make the per rider subsidy go down.

[Anonymous]

If assaults on drivers were quickly and heavily punished it wouldn’t be such an issue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It costs WMATA an average of $6.45 to operate a bus for a single rider. Through fares, they only recover 7%. Getting those 70% to pay wouldn't do much but reduce ridership. Making the metrobus free outside of rushhour for high occupied lines would cause ridership to go up and would make the per rider subsidy go down.

Because 70% don't pay, they only recover 7%. If everyone paid, they would recover 16%. That's not a small number in a multimillion dollar budget.

No one is worried about the per-rider subsidy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If assaults on drivers were quickly and heavily punished it wouldn’t be such an issue

The attackers lack the necessary emotional regulation. We need more wraparound services to help them deal with their anger in a positive way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't ride the bus as much post-Covid, but once I tried to pay and my card was empty, so I stood to the side to get out my wallet and the bus driver just waved me to sit down.

I also have gotten on the bus, gone to pay, and had the driver cover the fare tapper thing with his hand and wave me back.

I don't know if it's just more efficient to get everyone on, or if the drivers see so many people not even try to pay that they want to do a solid for someone with good intent by "gifting" a free ride? But all of that is to say: I'm technically part of the 70% and I don't think I've done anything wrong.

Came back to this thread just to share that I took the bus to and from school pickup last week. On the way I paid $3 because I didn't have a metrocard or change, then I downloaded the app, preloaded it, set it to autofill, and on the way back . . . The tapper thing was blanked out and said X No Passengers.

So all the rage in this thread at CRIMINALS not paying continues to be ridiculous to me. They don't want our money!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It costs WMATA an average of $6.45 to operate a bus for a single rider. Through fares, they only recover 7%. Getting those 70% to pay wouldn't do much but reduce ridership. Making the metrobus free outside of rushhour for high occupied lines would cause ridership to go up and would make the per rider subsidy go down.

Wow, economics is hard and sometimes counterintuitive, but giving free rides is what is hurting Metro. Time to crack down on freeloaders whether on trains or buses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did read the whole thread, but I recently learned that you can just tap your credit card to pay on buses, like you can at metro. My smart trip would run out and I wouldn’t pay because it’s hard to add fare, but now I just tap my credit card.

My kids both qualify for kids ride freee but rarely have th

eir cards on them, and say the drivers never ask for them. We actually got into a fight about this when they insisted their metro rides to Tyson’s from dc was free due to their being DCPS students.

My suggestion to whomever wins for mayor: make buses free.

Free buses have been proven time and again to be absolutely horrific public policy. They make buses more dangerous and slower and do not increase ridership (or lead to a decrease in people commuting by personal car).

https://www.city-journal.org/article/free-buses-new-york-times-zohran-mamdani

https://slate.com/business/2025/07/zohran-mamdani-free-buses-bad-transit-plans-good.html

If we want more people to ride buses, we need to both charge a fare and make sure riders pay it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did read the whole thread, but I recently learned that you can just tap your credit card to pay on buses, like you can at metro. My smart trip would run out and I wouldn’t pay because it’s hard to add fare, but now I just tap my credit card.

My kids both qualify for kids ride freee but rarely have th

eir cards on them, and say the drivers never ask for them. We actually got into a fight about this when they insisted their metro rides to Tyson’s from dc was free due to their being DCPS students.

My suggestion to whomever wins for mayor: make buses free.

Free buses have been proven time and again to be absolutely horrific public policy. They make buses more dangerous and slower and do not increase ridership (or lead to a decrease in people commuting by personal car).

https://www.city-journal.org/article/free-buses-new-york-times-zohran-mamdani

https://slate.com/business/2025/07/zohran-mamdani-free-buses-bad-transit-plans-good.html

If we want more people to ride buses, we need to both charge a fare and make sure riders pay it.

+1

If you actually ride the bus, you know that most of the people who jump on the bus without paying are not the type of people you want to ride the bus with. Smoking, fighting, playing loud music, mentally unstable, aggressive, openly doing/selling drugs. At best, they just pass out. I’m not talking about “ride free” students or the bus fare box not working. Drug abuse has skyrocketed in the District, partially because dealers and addicts can jump on for free at Chinatown, and make stops along the way in Shaw, Park View, Kennedy St, Silver Spring etc. They cover a wider area than ever before, no longer in one spot. No one will tell them no and there is nothing to stop them.

Making people pay something, even a penny, creates a social contract. A free for all is not safe in this city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did read the whole thread, but I recently learned that you can just tap your credit card to pay on buses, like you can at metro. My smart trip would run out and I wouldn’t pay because it’s hard to add fare, but now I just tap my credit card.

My kids both qualify for kids ride freee but rarely have th

eir cards on them, and say the drivers never ask for them. We actually got into a fight about this when they insisted their metro rides to Tyson’s from dc was free due to their being DCPS students.

My suggestion to whomever wins for mayor: make buses free.

Free buses have been proven time and again to be absolutely horrific public policy. They make buses more dangerous and slower and do not increase ridership (or lead to a decrease in people commuting by personal car).

https://www.city-journal.org/article/free-buses-new-york-times-zohran-mamdani

https://slate.com/business/2025/07/zohran-mamdani-free-buses-bad-transit-plans-good.html

If we want more people to ride buses, we need to both charge a fare and make sure riders pay it.

Progressives will just ignore the facts, make buses more dangerous for people trying to make a honest living but can’t afford to take personal transportation to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did read the whole thread, but I recently learned that you can just tap your credit card to pay on buses, like you can at metro. My smart trip would run out and I wouldn’t pay because it’s hard to add fare, but now I just tap my credit card.

My kids both qualify for kids ride freee but rarely have th

eir cards on them, and say the drivers never ask for them. We actually got into a fight about this when they insisted their metro rides to Tyson’s from dc was free due to their being DCPS students.

My suggestion to whomever wins for mayor: make buses free.

Free buses have been proven time and again to be absolutely horrific public policy. They make buses more dangerous and slower and do not increase ridership (or lead to a decrease in people commuting by personal car).

https://www.city-journal.org/article/free-buses-new-york-times-zohran-mamdani

https://slate.com/business/2025/07/zohran-mamdani-free-buses-bad-transit-plans-good.html

If we want more people to ride buses, we need to both charge a fare and make sure riders pay it.

Progressives will just ignore the facts, make buses more dangerous for people trying to make a honest living but can’t afford to take personal transportation to work.

Truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If assaults on drivers were quickly and heavily punished it wouldn’t be such an issue

The attackers lack the necessary emotional regulation. We need more wraparound services to help them deal with their anger in a positive way.

This is true! We have to be aware that broken families, lead poisoning, access to poor quality food, not enough learning resources ... can break any hueman... and their emotional and mental state is likely to suffer.

Busses should be FREE !!!