Free shuttle bus in Sydney

There is a free shuttle bus that operates in the Sydney CBD,. It runs on a route of about 3 km and takes passengers along George Street and Elizabeth Street between Circular Quay and Central Station. It connects the main railway stations in the CBD.

The service is free. This is useful for visitors who do not know where to buy the pre-paid bus tickets. It is used by the locals and the visitors and runs quite frequently on weekdays. It is well used but not crowded. I am able to get a seat on all of my trips.

Who funds the free shuttle service? It is the government, i.e. the taxpayers. There is nothing wrong about spending tax payers money to provide a free shuttle bus. The state has to pay the salaries of policemen and other public officers. A free shuttle service is just one of the public services that are well appreciated.

Singapore can learn from the experience of other cities and provide free shuttle service to bring people from their homes to the MRT stations and bus terminals. This will encourage more people to travel by public transport, instead of using their cars on congested roads and packing the parking lots.