Tasmania weighs permanent free public transport

Initially, the state government introduced free public transport for a three-month period in March as a response to rising fuel costs. This initiative was subsequently extended through the state budget, scheduled to last until July 2027, with a projected expense of $24 million.

Transport Minister Kerry Vincent confirmed the government is currently assessing the financial feasibility of continuing this policy without end. “The numbers have been fantastic with the growth in various areas,” he stated.

He added that a key consideration is balancing the costs of operating Metro and general access buses across the state, alongside the benefits of shifting commuters away from private vehicles.

A project to develop a new electronic ticketing system, contracted to Cubic for $27.7 million (with $11.9 million already disbursed), is currently on hold. An earlier estimate placed the total cost of the ticketing system at $65 million, but the government later attributed that figure to an error.

Mr. Vincent was unable to comment on potential repercussions related to pausing the contract. He explained that the government is still reviewing information provided by Cubic.

While no specific targets were established to gauge the success of free public transport, Minister Vincent expressed a desire to see increased ridership. “Tasmania’s never really taken public transport on board like most major metropolitan areas,” he noted.

He emphasized the need to measure the advantages of public transport against the costs of road construction and maintenance, describing it as an ongoing evaluation process. The government may also consider implementing a passenger counting system to better understand public transport demand, even if the free policy remains in place.