Sollte öffentlicher Nahverkehr kostenlos werden?

Summary

The video discusses the concept of free public transportation in Germany, exploring its economic, environmental, and social implications. It highlights the current costs, subsidies, and the potential savings from reduced ticketing infrastructure. While free transport could increase ridership and reduce pollution, it's costly and may not significantly shift car users to public transit. The video suggests combining free or affordable public transport with measures to make car use more expensive, like in Amsterdam, and implementing it where ticket revenue covers a small portion of costs, potentially improving mobility and quality of life.

Takeaways

• 🚌 The proposal to make public transportation free in some German cities is being debated seriously.
• 💶 Germany currently spends around 25 billion euros annually on public transportation, with only 37% of this covered by ticket sales.
• 🏙️ In metropolitan areas like Berlin, around 50% of public transport costs are subsidized, while in smaller, more spread-out cities, the percentage can exceed 80%.
• 💸 Implementing free public transportation nationwide would require at least an additional 12 billion euros per year in Germany.
• 🚍 Free public transport could lead to increased passenger numbers, necessitating investments in more vehicles and infrastructure.
• 💡 Savings could be made by eliminating the need for ticketing systems, which could account for 3-5% of operational costs.
• 🌟 There are potential indirect benefits to free public transport, such as improved city image, increased location quality, and property value increases due to better connectivity.
• 🚗 Reducing car usage could lead to significant savings on traffic-related costs, such as the 1.1 billion euros spent annually in Berlin.
• 🌱 Environmentally, fewer cars could mean lower CO2 emissions and better compliance with emission standards for pollutants.
• 🚶 Studies show that making public transport free does not automatically lead to a shift from car usage; other factors like flexibility, speed, and reliability play a significant role.
• 🌐 The social aspect of free public transport could improve quality of life for low-income individuals, students, and seniors by increasing mobility.

Q & A

What is the annual cost of public transportation in Germany?

The annual cost for public transportation in Germany is approximately 25 billion euros.

How much of the public transportation cost in Germany is covered by ticket sales on average?

On average, only 37 percent of the public transportation costs in Germany are covered by ticket sales.

What would be the additional annual cost for implementing free public transportation nationwide in Germany according to the German Transport Association?

A nationwide implementation of free public transportation in Germany would require at least an additional 12 billion euros per year.

What are some potential savings if public transportation were free, in terms of ticketing infrastructure?

If public transportation were free, there would be no need for ticketing systems, potentially saving on costs related to infrastructure, controllers, and sellers, which could account for three to five percent of operational costs.

How could the utilization of transportation vehicles potentially increase if public transportation were free?

The utilization of transportation vehicles could potentially increase, as more people might use them, which could in turn lower the per-passenger transportation costs.

What are some non-quantifiable benefits of free public transportation mentioned in the script?

Non-quantifiable benefits of free public transportation include image gains for cities, increased location quality, and the appreciation of real estate values due to better connectivity.

How much does traffic cost cities in terms of accidents, using Berlin as an example?

In Berlin alone, traffic accidents cost the city 1.1 billion euros annually.

What impact could free public transportation have on CO2 emissions if people leave their cars at home?

If people leave their cars at home due to free public transportation, it could reduce CO2 emissions and better comply with limits for nitrogen oxides and fine dust.

What has been shown in studies about people switching from cars to public transportation just because it's free?

Studies in various countries have shown that car drivers do not simply switch to public transportation just because it's free, as cars offer more flexibility, are often faster, and are more reliable.

What social benefits could free public transportation bring, especially for certain groups of people?

Free public transportation could improve the quality of life by making it more accessible for people with very low income and those without cars, potentially benefiting students, the elderly, and others.

What other measures could be combined with free public transportation to reduce the number of car drivers in cities?

To reduce the number of car drivers in cities, free or very affordable public transportation could be combined with making car usage more expensive, such as through fewer and more expensive parking spaces, as has been effective in Amsterdam.

In which type of cities should free public transportation be introduced first, according to the script?

Free public transportation should be introduced first in smaller and more spread-out cities where ticket sales cover only a small part of the costs.

What improvements in public transportation services could potentially encourage more people to switch from cars, besides just making it free?

Improvements such as higher frequency, fewer breakdowns, and better reliability could potentially encourage more people to switch from cars to public transportation, even if it's not free.