this post was submitted on 28 Dec 2023

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Montpellier now has free public transport. Here's how to get a pass (www.euronews.com)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

Montpellier residents can sign up for a free transport pass on the M’Ticket app and the TAM website. Photo ID and proof of address are required.

If fares were such an insignificant source of income before when residents had to pay, why bother ticketing at all when the only fare payers left would be an extreme minority that also happen to be your guests?
So much money spent on ticketing systems, apps, registration and other overhead that nobody needs and could be spent on improving the service instead if it was simply free for everyone. I highly doubt doing that makes any sort of profit. I don't get it.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 10 months ago

I agree with your reasoning. But Montpellier is a quite a tourist place especially during summer. Maybe it still make profit with them it is not a smal minority.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I am not sure tourists in Montpellier are such a rarity.

Estimated population is about 480 000.

I could not find great sources for how much tourism they get, but this page gives a number for conference attendants like 10 years ago and that was 1 200 000 per year (https://www.invest-in-montpellier.com/en/tourism-strategic-sector-montpellier-metropole)

Of course they don't stay all year but these are all people not paying their taxes there and it makes sense to still ticket them.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

It doesn't make sense if the ticketing revenue is less than the expense of administering a ticketing system, plus issuing passes to all residents.

That's before you consider those visitors are being encouraged to drive instead of taking transit which costs the taxpayers more!

[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

The visitors are encouraged to drive? You sure about that? I mean in most bigger European cities tourists will use public transport. Its not at all convenient to rent a car just for driving within city limits.

Also, you talk about the cost of the ticketing system as if they had to remake it from scratch, they just need to maintain the current one.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

The visitors are encouraged to drive? You sure about that? I mean in most bigger European cities tourists will use public transport. Its not at all convenient to rent a car just for driving within city limits.

If you're not incentivizing them to take transit, you're encouraging them to drive.

Also, you talk about the cost of the ticketing system as if they had to remake it from scratch, they just need to maintain the current one.

Which is not an insignificant expense. Fair gates need to be maintained, residential status verified, etc.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

If you're not incentivizing them to take transit, you're encouraging them to drive.

Ok, I don't think you have ever been to big European cities, this is not how people have their priorities cut out when visiting. But I can see that discussing this further leads nowhere, since you don't believe me and I don't believe you.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Thanks for your civility. My whole premise is predicated on questions neither of us can answer. You're quite right that I've never been to Europe (only England and Wales as an infant), but I feel my studies of urbanism and transit provide some insight. Thanks for the pleasant chat.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

Honestly, the only tourists that will really use a car are from «close» cities such Marseille or Toulouse. And they will choose the car because the Intercités train service is garbage, which has nothing to do with Montpellier's public transports.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

It would be easier to make public transport free and add more to the tourist taxes paid by hotels