If you were to design the ultimate system, you would have mass transit be free and charge an enormous amount for cars.

+1!
2008-01-12:

A group called the Nurture Nature Foundation, founded by New York labor lawyer and negotiator Ted Kheel, will soon release a study showing how New York's subways and buses could be free. The tradeoff? Making auto trips into central Manhattan more expensive--much more expensive.

now this would be real progress: $16 tax on cars entering the city
2020-03-20:

These agencies’ leaders envision fare-free transit achieving 2 urgent goals simultaneously. First and foremost, the move can help protect transit passengers and employees. Free transit can also offer another benefit: a financial cushion to riders struggling during the pandemic.

this would be a good time to stop the insane nonsense of only allowing access to the bus in the front door, and even worse, carrying a bunch of coins.