That Bus Guy Wrote:
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> In my opinion, a more targeted approach of social
> service agencies issuing fare cards to very
> low-income and some no-income people is a better
> approach.

I worked on a project which installed a comprehensive ITS system on a local transit systems buses a few years, including multiple inward and outward faacing cameras, to help keep Sanda Bullock safe and reduce frivolous lawsuits..... And, the local (large) Sou Cal school district's middle and high schools would gave out free student bus passes to use the tranist system, in lieu of operating school buses. Which left the transit agency with a pretty bad graffiti problem and a lot of etched bus windows, courtesy of the little bastards....

After the camera's were installed the GM and transit security had some fun.... They downloaded all of those wonderful shots of the little bastards etching the windows, and got the the student photos, identified some of the perpetrators, and had the Principalcall mom and dad to have them come in for a little chat.... Where they were presented with the video of their wonderful little darlings, given a bill for the damage, and asked to turn in their bus passes, since they would no longer be needing it, as mom and dad would be providing transportation for the rest of the school year....

Taking away those passes had a dramatic effect on the level of vandalism....