Paying people to walk on a sidewalk seems kind of silly.
As would paying to drive on a road that’s already been paid for.
But if kitty is correct, If we start throwing a bunch of other people’s money confiscated involuntarily by more taxes to subsidize buses so that a tiny fraction of the population can pay “zero fare”, then I think it’s correct to ask if that’s the right way thing to do.
In my opinion it’s a terrible thing to do. My hunch is people aren’t riding a buses because it’s inconvenient, Not because it costs too much money. Taking our money at gunpoint to make it free for people who already think it’s not convenient, doesn’t make it more convenient. That’s just redistribution of wealth.