[…]Going fare-free has accomplished little in Tallinn. Transit’s share of local commutes has fallen steadily over the past decade, particularly among those with low incomes. Residents today own more automobiles and are more likely to drive than ever before.

“It’s been a relatively useless policy,” Mari Jussi, a sustainable mobility advisor to the Estonian Transport Administration, told me in a café on a windswept cobblestone street. “People here are still shifting to cars.”

When I asked Jussi what advice she would offer American policymakers who want to improve transit service, she had a ready answer: “Any extra money should be put toward transit service, and not zero fares,” she replied. “Transit’s price is not a barrier for most people. It’s service quality and speed of the trip.”