Hasselt

Hasselt In Belgium made its bus system free. The mayor rejected plans for a third ring highway, converted one existing ring highway into a pedestrian and bicycle street, and made the buses free. Since then, bus ridership has increased by 800%. This initiative has been so successful in attracting new business to Hasselt that taxes have been cut and the city’s debt is down. To celebrate the first anniversary of the changes, the mayor announced free bicycles.