Editor:
Re: Canmore transit costs included in 2015 budget
In the Chamonix valley (an extremely busy touristic area in France), overnight tourists and residents are given a guest card, giving them free access to public transport (train, bus).
Presumably taxpayers and/or local accomodation businesses pay for these services; I don’t know exactly how it is funded. However, the system appears to be very successful in convincing people to leave their car at home/the hotel/come without one.
“Free” transit is much more attractive than a $2/$6 fare. If Canmore/Banff are really committed to providing an alternative to driving to decrease congestion and pollution, then considering a guest card approach could be a good way to improve service and increase ridership.
As long as gas is so cheap, it will never make financial sense for the individual who already owns a car to buy a $2 or $6 bus ticket rather than driving within and between the two towns. If the buses were free, it would likely be a different story, even in North America.
Yes, it subsidizes public transit over private cars. But as far as I understand it, this will happen anyway with the current financing model, so why not go the full way?
Mirjam Barrueto,
Canmore
