09-16-2019, 07:46 AM
I thought about this proposal, and I don't think I'm in favour as proposed. But only because I think this program should be paid for by new subsidies from the Region, and not from removing discounts on seniors and children.
It's true that many seniors have significant income, and from an equity standpoint there's not a lot of strong argument for offering them a discount. But it's not just for equity reasons that the discount is there, it's also to incent ridership, and I would argue that they are good riders, likely to travel outside of peak times when our transit assets are underutilized.
It also irked me that the CBC article kept referring to "students" when talking about the discounts. GRT charges fares for children as young as five...they'll now apparently be charging adult fares for children as young as five. That's a big burden for parents to get on transit with their kids, and I bet a Gender-based analysis of that proposal would be interesting.
To put that policy in perspective, Guelph Transit offers a 25% discount for kids and seniors; HSR, 18%; LTC, 19%. LTC doesn't charge fares for children under the age of 12 (nor does TTC).
Looking outside of our peer group at great transit cities, London England you ride for free until 16 and then get a 50% discount for a couple of years afterwards. In Montreal, you ride for free until six and then get a ~30% discount.
It's true that many seniors have significant income, and from an equity standpoint there's not a lot of strong argument for offering them a discount. But it's not just for equity reasons that the discount is there, it's also to incent ridership, and I would argue that they are good riders, likely to travel outside of peak times when our transit assets are underutilized.
It also irked me that the CBC article kept referring to "students" when talking about the discounts. GRT charges fares for children as young as five...they'll now apparently be charging adult fares for children as young as five. That's a big burden for parents to get on transit with their kids, and I bet a Gender-based analysis of that proposal would be interesting.
To put that policy in perspective, Guelph Transit offers a 25% discount for kids and seniors; HSR, 18%; LTC, 19%. LTC doesn't charge fares for children under the age of 12 (nor does TTC).
Looking outside of our peer group at great transit cities, London England you ride for free until 16 and then get a 50% discount for a couple of years afterwards. In Montreal, you ride for free until six and then get a ~30% discount.