Free Public Transport in Victoria for April

0:00It's March 28th, you're listening to Melbourne News today, AI-powered local news. Victoria's government just dropped a big move, free public transport for the entire month of April. That means Metro trains, beach line services, Melbourne trams, and every bus route across the state. No fare starting next Tuesday. Premier Jacinta Allen plans to announce his Sunday, aiming to cut car trips and tackle the fuel crunch hitting Pumps hard. This comes as a short-term fix to ease cost of living pain and save folks cash. Daily Mikey caps at $11.40, so a five day a week commuter could pocket $250 over the month or $205. With the pass, passes pause automatically and restart in May with gates wide open so no need to touch on. The crisis kicked off a month back from the US Israel strike on Iran, leading Iran to block the straight of Hormuz. Real prices jumped 60 percent, sparking shortages, 99 stations out of diesel Saturday, 42 without

1:01petrol, mostly regional. Farmers and the Victorian Greens pushed hard for this, worried about harvest delays without fuel for machines. The systems are already heavily subsidized, $3.2 billion from the state last year, versus just $7.36 million in. Fairs and upgrades like the Metro Tunnel mean it can handle the rush. Switch hasn't spiked yet. Last week's weekday touch-ons dipped 2.3 percent from a year ago, but expect crowds. This quick win buys time while they hunt bigger fixes to keep Victoria moving affordably.