In the study of economics, there is an academic debate as to whether a “free good” truly exists. It’s not that something is just “free,” but there is the discussion of the whole opportunity cost.
But I’ve discovered what I’d consider to be a free good, and you should take advantage of it if you live in my community of Bainbridge Island. Think of it as a publically-financed UBER. It’s called BI Ride (pictured) and I recently used it. The driver told me he wishes more people would use it.
Here are the details. Bainbridge Island has regularly scheduled bus service in the morning and afternoon/evening commute hours. Something like over 20K people ride into the city to work from the bucolic hamlet. But what about the off hours from roughly 930am to 330pm? How would you get around on transportation? I used to think it was impossible and you’d need to hop a taxi.
But the BI Ride, for two dollars, will essentially deliver you to and from your destinations. And all for $2.00 (yes – that is a cost, but low, *and* my Orca card transferred from the King County system for free on my initial afternoon escapade, so there!). I rode in non-commuter hours from the ferry dock to within two blocks of my house on South Beach. He probably would have actually delivered me to my house but I felt so bad exploiting this service I exited at a logical drop off point.
Bottom Line: Learn more and use BI RIDE! They need your support.
