Victoria has made public transport free – NSW hasn’t. Has there been any difference in uptake? |
The recent military conflict in the Middle East triggered a sharp increase in petrol prices throughout March, with the federal government’s subsequent excise cut providing only partial relief.
To address the increased cost of travel, Victoria and Tasmania introduced free public transport.
Queensland already had a 50-cent flat fare in place.
Other states and territories have not implemented similar measures.
But the moves by Victoria and Tasmania created a natural comparison: there are similar fuel price pressures but different public transport pricing across Australian states.
We examined how car use and travel patterns have changed since early April across three Australian states. Here’s what we found.
An unprecedented situation
The effectiveness of free public transport lies not only in increasing patronage, but in how much of that increase comes from reduced car use.
Evidence from Australia and other countries shows more people use public transport when it’s free. But much of this increase does not come from drivers switching modes. It often reflects more frequent use by existing public transport users, or shifts from walking and cycling.
What had not been tested is how people respond under a sudden fuel price increase. This created a rare situation where past evidence offered limited guidance.
We therefore examined this........