Tang Jiachen

Free public service for the elderly is a policy applied in many Chinese cities. While it seems to be in line with the traditional Chinese culture of respecting the elderly, in fact, it reduces the efficiency of public resources allocation. Offering services free of charge creates unnecessary needs, which then tilt the balance of supply and demand even further. But this problem can be avoided by replacing the free-busride policy with a monetary subsidy. According to media reports, the number of elderly passengers decreased significantly after the new policy was introduced.

As China is becoming an aging society, its transportation system will be facing increasing pressure. That’s the reason why people in many cities have called for discontinuing the free-bus-ride policy for senior citizens. But obviously, few city administrators have the courage to put this idea into practice. In that case, we should applaud Shanghai for this reform. We should all know that the reason why the government provided free bus rides to the elderly is not because they do not have enough money for bus tickets. The real purpose behind this policy is to encourage elderly people to be active. Apparently, elderly people often going out for activities are healthier than those staying at home all the time. In that case, a free-bus-ride policy plays a significant role in improving the life quality and the health condition of the elderly. Therefore, it helped to reduce the burden on the country and society.

When elderly people are in bad health, young people are the most affected, because they have to give up their job to take care of their parents or pay expensive medical bills. When elderly people prefer staying at home, the consequences are much worse than just crowded buses.

By discontinuing the free-bus-ride policy for the elderly, we might lose its long-term positive impact. Of course, it can be a delaying tactic against a serious shortage of public resources, but it is not a real solution to the problem.