What if making buses and trains free didn’t reduce congestion—and actually made public transport worse?

In this deep dive inspired by the Productivity Commission report, we unpack the hidden economics behind public transport pricing. From the collapse of transit’s 90% dominance to the rise of car dependency, we explore why fares only cover a fraction of real costs—and why that’s by design.

You’ll discover:

• The “invisible price” of crowding and discomfort
• Why free transit often fails to reduce traffic
• How subsidies actually benefit both riders and drivers
• The surprising truth about who really benefits from cheap fares

This episode challenges one of the most intuitive ideas in urban policy—and replaces it with a far more complex reality.