Fare-free would expand ridership and increase the buy-in of the public

Free Transit Edmonton (FTE) says free and effective transit is a matter of economic, climate and racial justice, and needs to be viewed as an essential service like public health care and education. The coalition of citizens challenged city councillors and the mayor to only use transit for one week to ensure they see “it from a deeper level than this kind of far-off policy view.” Councillors Aaron Paquette, Ben Henderson, Scott McKeen and Andrew Knack accepted.

...“The idea of fare-free transit is such an effective intervention, not only to serve the most vulnerable in our city but … it would expand ridership by quite a lot and increase the buy-in that the public has in the transportation system,” said Kruse.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/more-connected-and-more-just-coalition-launches-campaign-for-free-transit-in-edmonton