Three Positives for Public Transport That Can Be False

1. Discounts We all like discounts, don’t we? But in the context of public transport, they can backfire and lead to significantly higher costs for passengers. As I explained in one of my previous posts, discounts are not always good if they are not properly designed and implemented.

2. Open Openness is another buzzword that we often hear these days. Open source software is preferred over proprietary, overpriced software (think Ubuntu vs. Windows). Similarly, marketers promote open-loop payments in public transport, but they don’t always explain the real economic benefits or whether they are genuinely open. We need to be cautious about such claims and do our research before embracing them.

3. Online Online services are usually considered more convenient and innovative than their offline counterparts. However, we need to ask ourselves whether online services always benefit public transport. Can we provide a stable online connection that meets the requirements during peak hours? What happens if the online connection is lost - will public transportation come to a halt? And who bears the cost and risk in that scenario?

It’s important to consider these factors before jumping on the discount, open, or online bandwagon. Let’s make sure we’re not unintentionally causing harm to public transport systems in the name of false positives.