With the rising amounts of pollution and an ongoing climate crisis, authorities around the globe have been taking many preventive measures and initiatives to preserve the environment. One such significant initiative is increased awareness and promotions for using public transportation.
To make things easier for people and ensure they experience convenience while using public transport, many countries worldwide have made elaborate and well-maintained public transportation systems. But to ensure the strategy truly works, it is important that the general public understands the benefits of public transportation and actually utilises it in their daily lives. So, what are the advantages of public transport? Let’s find out!
Why use public transportation?
The number of people in the world is rising and will continue to. However, with a growing population and economy, the demand for transportation is also increasing. As the number of cars and other vehicles on the road increases, the roads become congested and unsafe, giving rise to unending needs for new roads and updated infrastructure.
Some of the biggest benefits of public transportation can address these issues. Modes of transportation like buses, trains and tubes can carry many people in a single go and thus can bring down the need for more private vehicles. More convenient options of public transportation like shared cabs and carpooling can also be an effective choice in case of airport pick-ups or going to work every day. Using public transport can also positively impact the environment and help you live a more sustainable lifestyle. Here’s how!
Environmental benefits of public transportation
There are some very significant advantages of public transport to the environment. Using public transportation reduces the usage of privately owned cars and other vehicles, which can positively impact the planet. Let’s learn more about the benefits of public transportation in detail:
1. Reduced air pollution
Vehicles that run on fossil fuels are one of the biggest sources of air pollution. When fuels like petrol and diesel are burnt in the vehicle, emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide happen. The more vehicles on the road, the more these gases are produced, heavily contributing to air pollution and environmental damage. However, using public transportation as the primary means of daily commutation can help with this issue. One of the biggest benefits of mass transit is reduced air pollution. As more and more people use public transportation, the number of vehicles on the road decreases, thus reducing air pollution. As a result, the air quality of the urban areas increases, contributing to a better lifestyle.
2. Preservation of green spaces
As the number of cars on the road increases, the need for new and better roads improves, too. This unending loop of infrastructural needs can lead to diminished green spaces in urban areas, ruin the local biodiversity and create more congested living conditions for people. Using public transport can help decrease this rising demand for more roads, thus contributing to less deforestation and saving the disappearing green patches in cities. On the other hand, the resources used to create new roads can now be redirected towards redesigning and improving existing infrastructure.
3. Reduced carbon footprint
Carbon footprints are the total amount of greenhouse gases (majorly carbon dioxide) emitted during an activity. One of the biggest benefits of public transportation options like shared cabs, carpools, buses, tubes and trains is that they can carry more than one passenger at a time. Naturally, the pollutants created during transit are comparatively less than in traditional car ownership. This results in reduced carbon burning, and thus, less carbon dioxide is produced. This directly translates into fewer carbon footprints and a greener future ahead!
4. Increased fuel efficiency
With public transport options carrying more people than individually owned vehicles at once, it is evident that public transport is more efficient. However, this efficiency isn’t just prevalent regarding carbon footprints. One of the most significant benefits of mass transit is that fossil fuels and energy are used efficiently, i.e. far less petrol and diesel usage happens when more people take the bus.
5. Reduced noise pollution
With more congested roads, traffic jams and accidents become more common. Naturally, you can expect a lot of honking and other vehicle noises in such scenarios. These noises may seem insignificant in theory, but they contribute to a more significant issue: noise pollution. High levels of noise pollution in urban areas can contribute to many concerns and negative impacts on living beings, including humans and non-human species. Reduced number of vehicles on the road and, thus, decreased noise pollution are some of the benefits of public transportation.
Social Benefits of public transportation
Now that you know about the environmental advantages of public transport, it is fascinating to know that many social benefits come with utilising public transport. These social benefits of using public transport include increased affordability, mobility, social inclusion and much more! So, let’s dive into the social benefits of mass transit in detail:
1. More Mobility
One of the social benefits of public transportation is that you get more seamless mobility than private cars and other vehicles. Since buses and trains follow fixed routes, the connectivity you get through public transportation is subpar compared to privately owned vehicles. However, public transportation connects major spots like tourist places, hospitals, colleges, events grounds, etc., in the city. Thus, buses and trains can actually make these spots more accessible for people and increase social mobility.
2. Affordable for everyone
Another one of the very significant benefits of public transportation is that it is affordable for everyone. Usually, the fees you have to pay for using public transportation options like buses, trains or tubes are minimal compared to the investment in a private vehicle. The availability of passes for public transportation also makes these modes more affordable and accessible for people. Especially if you are a student, the economic benefits of public transportation can be manifold and very significant as it is very light on your student account. Rising gas prices are also a concern when you have a private car as your primary means of transportation. However, using public transportation frequently can resolve such concerns and ensure affordable transportation for everyone.
3. Time-efficiency and safety
More vehicles on the road cause traffic congestion, jams and even gridlocks. Such issues can increase the travel time for people on the road. The congestion can also be dangerous since it may lead to more road accidents. However, with more people using public transport options, the daily commute can become significantly more time-efficient and safe, the same way availing an airport pickup service does for first-time commutes in a new city.
4. Social inclusion
With hyper-individualism on the rise, social seclusion and loneliness have become prominent problems for people. Public transportation, conversely, can breed a sense of belonging in people and thus help people build better communities. Public transportation like buses and trains encourage interactions between people, creating shared experiences and ensuring mental well-being for the masses. Thus, better social inclusion and community building are some of the most unconventional but significant benefits of public transportation.
5. Healthy and disciplined lifestyles
Rarely will public transportation stop at exactly where you live or need to go. So, if you take the bus to your destination every day, it is only natural that you might have to do some walking or running every day. This can encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle, as one of the many benefits of public transportation. It can encourage people to be more disciplined in their routine life since they have to be punctual to catch public transport. Daily exercise and walking can help people become healthier with decreased chances of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, stroke, etc. And if you are a student, it will definitely help you avoid the freshman 15!
Using public transport as your primary means of daily travel is one of the many benefits of public transportation that cannot be ignored. Be it the preservation of the environment or the social benefits for us humans, the benefits of public transportation can be a great motivation. So, buckle up, take the bus and save the world!!