Free Downtown Buses in Seattle One thing that really impressed me about Seattle is that in the downtown area bus rides are free. This seems like a great way to improve people movement and reduce road congestion in the core of the city. I'm interested to learn more about the history of this, and how it's worked out in practice. Some quick searches don't turn up anything though, and my internet access is limited while I'm travelling.
The conference has been good too =). More on that later...
4 comments | If you get on a free bus downtown and then leave the ride free zone, you have to pay when you get off the bus-- which, frankly, is retarded, especially at rush hour because it means that everybody has to jostle their way to the front of the bus so they can pay the fare. | | |
I think about 1 ride in 4 downtown you end up having an unpleasant experience involving something like a fat, poo-smelly guy sitting next to you or some gangsta kid playing his radio in your ear. The free ride zone is pretty small so that it's rare anyplace you want to go isn't close enough to walk to in 10 minutes or would need a fare to get there anyhow.
I rode the bus in Seattle for many years. It goes everywhere and it's pretty cheap. It's not a bad system really. But I don't think the free ride zone helps very much for alleviating traffic just because it doesn't compete very well with walking within area it services. I'm not sure what they could do to improve it other than expand the service area which would need even more subsidation. | | |
No - the ride free zone did not start with the opening of the bus tunnel. It started in 1973, and it was originally called The Magic Carpet.
The main purpose of the ride free zone is to allow easy movement within the downtown area for shoppers and workers.
And any posting that implies bus riders are always surrounded by smelly street people because the ride is free is an exageration.
Check out History Link for the history of Seattle Metro's free ride zone.
http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=2698 | | |
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