Benefit of Public Transport

Cost, convenience and environmental advantages of using public transportation.

Many people who are looking for a way to save money can look no further than where they sit every day. People who live in rural or suburban areas often have the option of public transportation, at least for the daily commute to work. There are many advantages to using public transportation.

First is cost. If you compare the cost of gas, parking and auto maintenance to the cost of a bus or train pass, you'll find that a monthly commuting pass is far more economical. If you live in an urban area and use the bus or train as your primary transportation source, you save even more on car payments, insurance and repairs. Also, many public bus systems have "ozone days" where patrons can ride for free.

Convenience is the next advantage: Most trains and buses run on a set schedule that you can set your commuting time around. No more roaming around looking for parking or sitting in traffic. Some say that buses and trains take longer than driving, but if you consider that driving is "lost time" that you can better spend reading or relaxing while leaving the driving to someone else, you come out way ahead time wise.

Environment: Consider how many large suburban vehicles and trucks you see inhabited by one or two people. Everyone who is taking his or her own vehicle is causing some individual pollution, and the earth does not need any extra of that. And many public transportations systems like trains or cable cars do not cause the same energy waste.

One objection to riding public transport may be that a person has children to transport. Many find it easier to look after a bunch of kids while seated on a train or bus than constantly trying to keep an eye on what's going on in the back seat while trying to drive.

The final barrier to riding public transport could be the "status" factor. It requires a shift of attitude away from high school where "only geeks rode the bus".