Hebei Municipality in Economic Struggles Plans to Cancel Free Bus Rides for Elderly People

In China, the economy continues to decline, leading to a downturn in various industries. In Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, the Chicheng County Public Transport Company announced that due to insufficient local financial support and operational difficulties, they have decided to cancel the preferential subsidies for elderly people using public transportation starting from April 1. The decision has sparked discussions on social media platforms such as Weibo, with a trending topic titled “Proposal to Cancel Free Bus Rides for Elderly in Hebei.”

A notice bearing the name of Chicheng Public Transport Branch of Zhangjiakou Tongtai Transportation Group Co., Ltd stated, “According to the notice from the county transportation bureau, starting from 2025, the subsidies for elderly people using public transportation will be discontinued. Due to the operational difficulties faced by our company and the inability to bear this expense, we plan to stop issuing elderly cards from April 1, 2025, and all passengers will be charged the regular fare.”

Employees of Tongtai Transportation Group mentioned that the government used to subsidize the free rides for elderly people. However, due to tight local finances and inadequate support, the public buses were already running at a loss, prompting the posting of the notice.

Zhangjiakou Tongtai Transportation Group Co., Ltd is a state-owned enterprise under the Zhangjiakou State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, responsible for operating the public transportation systems within the jurisdiction of Zhangjiakou and some counties. Its Chicheng Public Transport Branch is a major operator within the Chicheng public transport system.

According to the “China News Weekly,” a staff member of the Chicheng County Propaganda Department stated that the issue is currently being resolved and the notice issued by the public transport company is not the final solution.

A report from March 2024 indicated that there are 53 buses operating on 16 bus routes in Chicheng County.

Yang Xinmiao, Deputy Director of the Transportation Research Institute at Tsinghua University, pointed out that while these issues are currently surfacing in small county towns, many medium and large cities could also face similar pressures. He mentioned, “Surveys show that even in the higher-income elderly population in mega-cities, public transportation remains a primary mode of transport.”

In recent years, there have been reports of public transport companies in various regions facing losses, operational difficulties, and even cases of drivers being unpaid. Some cities, such as Changchun in Jilin Province and Shaodong in Hunan Province, have previously reported incidents where certain public transport companies “disallowed” free rides for elderly passengers.

Chinese economist Yu Fenghui posted online saying, “The rationality of policy adjustments is questionable. From a legal perspective, free bus rides for the elderly are a social welfare contract, and the unilateral termination by the government should go through legal procedures and public hearings; otherwise, it could harm policy stability and government credibility. The direct cancellation of the subsidy by public transport companies citing financial constraints lacks cushioning mechanisms and may aggravate intergenerational conflicts, damaging the rights of vulnerable groups.”

Netizens commented, expressing opinions such as, “The government doesn’t have money to pay,” “Both the public transport company and the elderly are in difficulty. Buses should be their most common mode of transportation. I hope there can be a win-win solution,” “Offer a 50% discount for elderly passengers,” and “Since buses have fixed schedules, operating costs remain the same regardless of passenger numbers. By canceling free rides for the elderly, there might be a reduction in ridership, leading to a potential decrease in services or suspension of operations.”