From Economic Observer Online:
For 72-year-old retiree Zhen Jinxiang, the main task of the day was sending and fetching his 10-year-old granddaughter to school.
To accomplish the task, he used to make four bus trips costing a total of 12 yuan each day, but for a senior citizen living on government’s lower-income subsidy, the public transportation cost was eating into his budget.
Fortunately for him though, such burdens had been scrapped off his daily budget since July 1, when the municipal government of Changning introduced free public bus rides in the City. The move was the first in China.
Changning is a metal and mine-rich city located in the south of China’s Hunan province. Its municipal government has implemented free public buses in order to conserve energy, protect the environment, improve traffic condition and enhance public services.
