I hate to say it but I'm inclined to think free public transport wouldn't change much.

I suspect most people who don't use PT aren't troubled by the price. After all, they are presumably driving cars instead.

And I suspect that most PT users are commuting to work, which suggests they can afford to pay something. (And let's not forget the ease with which you can dodge paying now that we don't have conductors...).

I wonder sometimes about more flexible PT arrangements - somewhere between a minibus network and a taxi system.