Who is actually using the free fare zone as intended?
People who use the train without paying, just to stay warm, are not just riding back and forth along downtown.
Business people who are moving around downtown, except in very specific circumstances, would still have to walk part of the way or they are driving, taking a taxi/uber all the way.
It doesn't go to the stampede grounds, so those who are going to something there either need to cheat it an extra stop or pay anyway.
The only argument I've heard in favour that makes any sense to me is that if more people using the train are at the stations downtown, it's less appealing for people using them as places to use drugs, camp out, etc. and makes it safer. So I could be convinced if that was actually (or likely) the case.
Otherwise, why is it free downtown, but I pay full price to go one stop or take a 5 minute bus ride, anywhere else in the city?
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