513. Should Public Transit Be Free? (Update)

It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use it? The short answer: it’s complicated. Also: We talk to the man who gets half the nation’s mass-transit riders where they want to go (most of the time). SOURCES: Marcus Finbom , traffic planner in Stockholm, Sweden. Robbie Makinen , former president and C.E.O. of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. Janno Lieber , chair and C.E.O. of the M.T.A. in New York City. Brian Taylor , professor of urban planning and public policy and director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at U.C.L.A. Shashi Verma , director of strategy and C.T.O. at Transport for London. Michelle Wu , mayor of Boston. RESOURCES: " Free Bus Service Starts Sunday on 5 Routes in New York City ," by Ana Ley ( The New York Times, 2023). “ Vehicle Access and Falling Transit Ridership: Evidence From Southern California ,” by Michael Manville, Brian D. Taylor, Evelyn Blumenberg, and Andrew Schouten ( Transportation, 2023). “ Route-28 Fare-Free Pilot Evaluation: Summary Findings ,” by the City of Boston Transportation (2022). “ Forget Fare Hikes — Make the T Free ,” by Michelle Wu ( The Boston…