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Free Transit for Low Income Individuals- Community Forum - June 3rd, 2017 On June 3, 2017, the Alliance Against Poverty hosted a community forum to discuss the need to discuss offering free public transit to those of low income within the community.
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As a public service, transit is required to access supports that are vital to the advancement and survival of low income community members. Though it is not a poverty solution alone, it supports all other poverty elimination efforts.
The cost is too high for many, often eliminating usage by those in our community who are already facing financial hardship. There are so many reasons that it is imperative that transit service be affordable to all. Public transit is vital to lessening car usage and preserving the environment for the future generations. Urban sprawl has created increased distances of travel for both professional and personal purposes. Nothing is close anymore. Technological advances though often positive have left many feeling isolated. The mental health impacts of said isolation are negative on us all. We need to ensure that parents with young children, seniors, and others who are often housebound due to financial duress are able to participate within our community. We need to be working towards the development of a fairer fare system, one that can accommodate all potential riders, regardless of financial status. Public Transit needs to operate as a public service to our community, not a business looking to profit from our communities poorest members, who are most likely to require it. |
