Encouraging people to embrace alternatives to the car – still the dominant mode of travel in Switzerland – means factoring human decision-making into the equation.
Check out the municipal finances of lots of US cities. Auto infrastructure costs more than the taxes it generates from economic activity. The federal government fills a lot of funding gaps through grants with its deficit spending. Yes, free public transport would cost more than it brings in through direct revenues; it would still cost less than private car subsidies, and could be a net positive in economic activity stimulated, unlike the cars.
Check out the municipal finances of lots of US cities. Auto infrastructure costs more than the taxes it generates from economic activity. The federal government fills a lot of funding gaps through grants with its deficit spending. Yes, free public transport would cost more than it brings in through direct revenues; it would still cost less than private car subsidies, and could be a net positive in economic activity stimulated, unlike the cars.