Alyson Oliver
senior editor
It would take almost $90 billion to complete all the repairs needed to modernize public transportation, and despite its benefits to the economy, the environment and more, 45% of Americans have no access to it, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
Public transportation might be easy to take for granted, but more should be invested in it for various reasons.
It makes travel more accessible. The need for a private vehicle puts people unable to afford one, or those unable to drive, at a disadvantage. Public transport gives these groups a reliable way to travel to work or school.
And by giving people the means to travel, the economy receives a boost. According to APTA, there are $5 in economic returns generated for every $1 spent on public transportation.
Passengers can expect to arrive at their destination safely. Modes of public transport — especially intercity busses — have much lower fatality rates than private vehicles do, according to the Journal of Public Transportation.
And using public transportation is an excellent way to benefit the environment. Cars contribute massively to an individual’s carbon footprint. But if an individual began using public transportation for a 20-mile commute, they would save 48,000 pounds of CO2 emissions in a year, according to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.
Two final benefits are a lack of isolation and increased productivity. While using public transportation, passengers have more opportunities to interact with one another, a benefit they would miss out on when operating a private vehicle.
Because they are not busy driving, they are able to spend their commute doing other tasks.
Using and investing in public transportation is worth advocating for.
The next time someone needs to commute to work, school or any other destination, it’s something they should consider giving a try.
