Why is transit important

These offerings give commuters more choices, but may also undermine the public services available. They raise fundamental questions about the future of how people will get around cities. I used to think these services were just for the rich—a friend of mine who lived in New York insisted on taking an Uber Pool to work every day because he said it was a much better experience than public transit. But as the options increase, they carry an expanding array of people. This morning, for instance, I walked one block from my house to take a private van service called Chariot to my office in San Francisco.

Before Chariot, this commute took at least 40 minutes and consisted of riding a bus to the subway to another bus. Chariot—a shared van service run by a private company—brought me directly from my house to my office in just over 20 minutes.

And it cost roughly the same price as the lengthier public transit option. The ease of Chariot has made me wonder if my friend were right: Why should anyone use public services if the private sector can provide the same service more efficiently? On an individual level, after all, the private bus was much more pleasant and not much more expensive.

On the government level, privatization could save money. Many economists would say that giving consumers more options is a good thing. He argued that public transit is a monopoly. In the past, government has stepped in when private options began to illuminate how unappealing the public options were. A century ago, when private drivers started to operate jitneys—essentially charging passengers for rides, much like Uber does—government regulated them out of existence.

Without jitneys, people were forced to take public transit, a development that led to a flourishing of transportation services. And yet, even with all the subsidies and regulatory help, most public transit systems have trouble staying afloat. Private options such as Chariot and Uber Pool can run without these subsidies although they are currently running on significant money from venture capitalists. Letters are being sent to newspapers throughout the nation, as well as to elected members of Congress, pressing them to listen what a majority of their constituents want: the ability to make choices in transportation, that is, to not be forced to drive because there are no viable public transit options.

Public transit represents an opportunity for America to prosper through the development of attractive, walkable communities around transit stations. Public transportation must be supported by the government in order to strengthen the long-term health of the economy, lessen inequality resulting from the burden of car ownership by the working poor, improve the environment, reduce the death and injury count resulting from cars, and many other reasons.

To ignore the responsibility to its people and the nation's prosperity by not passing a comprehensive, long-term transportation bill in , Congress would be missing a golden opportunity to make American cities smarter and better places to live, and to create the foundation of a long-lasting, economic engine for America.

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Top Benefits of Public Transportation 1. Economic Benefits to the Community For every ten million dollars of transit investment made, business sales increase by thirty million dollars. Health Benefits to the Community Transit users must walk to and from transit stations, so they walk much more than the average, driving commuter.

Transit Reduces Road Congestion Currently in America, public transit use results in a reduction of ,, hours of travel time, a figure which would be many times higher if cities in the U. Transit Lessens Gas Use and Reduces Pollution Currently in America, public transit use results in a reduction of ,, gallons of gas being burned which, as in the case of road congestion in number 3 above, would be substantially higher if European urban planning principles were applied, including a gas tax reflective of the true cost of automobile use to society.

Millenials Prefer Transit Lifestyle over Sprawl Millenials prefer walkable communities over sprawl, seeking to live around robust transit, shops, restaurants, libraries, parks, and a mix of housing styles such as apartments and houses. Freedom and Mobility Amplified by Public Transit The availability of public transit opens up personal mobility to everyone, giving each person the freedom to go virtually anywhere.

Commuters More Productive on Public Transit than Cars When driving an automobile, one cannot sleep, read, write, relax, or do anything that transit takers are able to do. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

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Public Transportation Facts. Public Transportation Facts APTAAdmin T Every segment of American society—-individuals, families, communities, and businesses—benefits from public transportation.

Approximately 6, organizations provide public transportation in the United States.