But making transit free for *everyone* is a much less targeted way of addressing poverty than giving these people a check Why should we not just, y’know, fix the problem by fixing the problem?

When is there ever the political will to give poor people a check? "Free stuff" exclusively for the disadvantaged just triggers conservative and gentry backlash. Make it free for everyone, and people across the spectrum can all feel some benefit. It's unifying.

yeah! I'm still not generally sold but this is a good argument for doing it, sometimes might be enough reason to

substantially this logic is what keeps Social Security so untouchable, everybody gets benefits

Exactly. Free buses isn't a high priority for me, but I won't dismiss the idea outright. I think it's something worth trialing, maybe one line at a time, to figure out NYC-specific issues. In Westchester we sometimes have free buses during the summer. More people ride. The system doesn't collapse.

Some other good arguments here for it but “some people are poor” is an argument for giving those people money, not making services free for everyone

Free transit is still better for poor people than a stigmatizing dispensation.

is it stigmatizing to get a free bus pass in the mail that looks the same as the passes everyone else buys?

It can be to the person themself or to the person who refuses "charity" but could stand to benefit.

yeah, ok, I mean, this is where you have to look at tradeoffs avoiding that residual sense of stigma is not worth the foregone fare revenue from everyone else -- money is fungible and that revenue buys more frequent service, better and more comprehensive routes, even other government services

Would undocumented immigrants or any other population face barriers with accessing such assistance? I'm trying to look at all angles. What are some jurisdictions that have implemented such a scheme?

oh probably, yeah, but I can't imagine doing a serviceable job of outreach would cost more than all the remaining fare revenue?

Republicans frequently make assistance to the poor stigmatizing by making it bureaucratic, dysfunctional and conspicuous, but it doesn't have to be!

So we should defund transit? What’s the logic?

Yes, no funding at all, that's clearly what I said.

You’re proposing one of the greatest demolitions of transit funding ever seen. No other way around it