Interview with a public transport expert

This week we will concentrate on some social control mechanisms that help deal with challenges related to the use of shared goods. We will talk about it with the help of a typical example: public transport.

Probably all of us had the experience of using public transport, wondering why tickets cost so much, feeling the frustration when the quality of transport was not adequate and looking for the guilty ones. And in the end ….. many of us were tempted to drive “only one stop” despite the lack of a valid ticket. All those feelings and experiences are inextricably linked.

Let’s concentrate a bit on the other side; the point of view of public transport organizations and experts. In this video, we interview Michał Wolański, a sustainable mobility expert, who explains which types of intervention are used to deter potential freeriders in public transport.

There are a lot of situations around us that have an underlying structure of an n-person Prisoner’s Dilemma. Yet, we don’t see common spaces and public goods’ deterioration all the time. Let’s have a look at one simple example, public transport, and think about individual motivations to follow the rules that prevent the Tragedy of the Commons.

Think about the last time you bought a ticket on public transportation. Why did you do it? And why do you think other passengers buy tickets?