Public transportation, while many view it as not entirely comfortable as compared to the use of a personal car, it’s one of the most amazing ways to travel and enjoy your journey. As much as private flights, taxis or cars give you more independence, there are limitless reasons why the use of public transport pays off. Here at least 20+ extraordinary reasons why you should use public transportation when you travel.
According to Wikipedia,
“Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, or mass transit) is a shared passenger-transport service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, carpooling, hired buses, and transportation network companies, which are not shared by the general public without private arrangement.”
1. You’ll contribute towards easing congestion. Most of the road traffic congestions witnessed in our roads across various cities around the world are all attributed to the use of private vehicles and the notion of everyone wanting to use their own personal cars for privacy and comfort. At the same time, we keep complaining of traffic jams.
If we are serious about addressing the problem, then we should often opt for public transport. A recent research indicated that a full carriage bus in a public transport system is equivalent to about 55 cars on the road with one occupant. So, if we could all use public transport, we’ll probably be decongesting more the 50 cars on the road.
2. You help in reducing the overall environmental greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas pollution is ever on the rise and that’s the reason states, organizations, and environmentalists advocate for emission reduction techniques. By using public transport, you’ll be able to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions by more than half. Research has proved that only three to eight people on a public transport bus are able to cut emissions by half compared to an individual commuting in a personal car by himself or herself.
3. You’ll have lots of time to people watch. Public transportation is used by people from diverse backgrounds with varied cultures, norms and ways of living. If you opt for public transportation, it means you’ll have the chance to people watch and even get to learn the nature of different people.
4. Meet new people. Public transportation is used by diverse people and again, there is no need for over-emphasizing on this point. The odds are that you’ll be able to interact with lots of people from different cultures if you use public transport as opposed to traveling private.
5. Public transportation allows you to relax. With public transportation, you’ll be able to have your own time, take a nap, avoid the road rage, and get out of the pressures of driving your own private car. During the commute, you can also read or just enjoy the view which will help in boosting your dopamine hormones and reducing your stress levels.
Furthermore, using public transport to travel helps you unwind. At the end of your public transportation journey, you’ll definitely have moments to recall and reflect on some of the best moments in your life.
6. You’ll save money. Using public transport can save you up to four times the money you use commuting in your private or personal car. The regular use of your personal car will require the costs of maintenance and other additional charges such as parking fees, emission tickets, and speeding fines. By using public transport, you’ll be able to save all the money directed to such miscellaneous expenses of using a personal vehicle.
7. Improve your personal health. The use of public transport will ensure you have to walk more often between the stations and places you’ll be boarding the buses, planes or trains. With such kind of an activity, you are ensured of some extra physical activity in your frequent travel routines.
The payoff includes improved personal health in terms of exercising your muscles, crucial organs and even reducing your stress levels. Walking in particular has been proven to relax the mind and improve one’s mental health. Consequently, walking in between your public transport routines aids in improving your mental health and physical well-being.
8. You’ll reduce the need for fossil fuels and the depletion of natural resources. Train, Bus, ferry and tram travel as pointed out by TransLink considerably saves on the dependence on fossil fuel reserves as well as supplies which continue to destroy natural environments. It therefore means that the use of public transport saves on at least twice the fossil fuel energy used in personal cars. One full train saves fossil fuel that would have been used by more than 600 cars on the road.
9. You’ll definitely make new and interesting friends. Public transport is used by thousands and diverse people across the society as opposed to private travel which only means you are traveling by yourself or your relatives. If you use public transport, you have all the room to make friends and enjoy the ride by meeting interesting new people.
10. Quicker travel. You may not believe this as true but public transportation systems have dedicated travel routes. This makes it quicker to reach travel destinations as compared to traveling alone in a personal car. For instance, a cross country train trip takes much more less time to reach the various defined destinations compared to the time it takes to reach the same destination in your own personal car.
11. There are various options in the public transport system. In public transport, we have more than one option to use. You can either opt for the bus, train, ferry or plane. Each of the options has their benefits and demerits but with all factors considered, public transport will definitely be more fulfilling. Regardless, if you were to use any of the options, your last priority should be the plane as it generates more carbon dioxide.
12. Public transport has fare saver tickets. One in every major season or holiday must have public transport offers on ticket discounts. This is an advantage you’ll only get to enjoy if you frequently use public transport. Also, the some of the ticket discounts comes inclusive of return fares which reduce your overall spending on travel.
13. It makes you plan your trip hence reduce overall wastage. If you have to use public transport, you’ll have to plan your travel in advance. What most people do not know is that by planning your travel, it makes you a frugal traveler. In other words, it will help in reducing your expenses and overall wastage in general because you’ll not be overwhelmed with last minute purchase or rushes which may have you incur additional travel costs.
14. It will help you be a change agent. The world is currently moving toward being environmentally conscious and for this reason; you can join the rest of the world’s agents for change by simply using public transport. As advocated by environmentalists as well as climate change experts, the use of public transport particularly trains, buses, and ferries can fundamentally help in cutting greenhouse gases by half. You will also be helping in reducing the devastating environmental impacts.
15. The views are better with public transport. The rail lines and buses oftentimes connect the most important sights of cities and provide the traveler with the opportunity to view the most exclusive settings such as parks, hills and forests. By using public transport, you’ll be able to have some of the most memorable and rewarding views.
16. You get to witness how quirky bus drivers can be! This is an awesome experience especially for those who are inclined towards learning belief systems and just out to have fun. If you use public bus transport, you’ll be able to notice some of the quirky beliefs and personalities of the drivers. For instance, some bus drivers may have the interior of the buses creatively painted with very bright and weird colors. Some of them even bring their religion into the buses by having personalized shrines such as the honoring Buddha, Jesus or Virgin Mary. Some may also bring family pictures.
17. Most of the world travels by public transport. Commuting using public transport reminds us that most people in the world can’t afford personal cars and it will even encourage your personal commitment towards environmental sustainability goals. It will remind you that there are other people on the planet who can’t really afford some of the machines contributing to massive environmental degradation globally.
18. It will help your cities become better placed. Environmentalist and urban planners have it that public transport helps cities reduce traffic congestion and the overall level of pollution. This means that if you use public transport, you’ll be reducing congestion as well as pollution within and around your city. Why not contribute to making your city a better place by using public transport.
19. It promotes local city tourism. Again, most people are usually discouraged by the level of congestion in major cities because it leads to traffic and air pollution. Congestion due to huge traffic and private vehicles makes maneuvering within the city tricky thus limiting the number of people who would wish to visit congested cities.
Therefore, if most people were to use public transport in major cities, it would aid in decongestion and encourage city tourism. Tourists may also feel much safer and free to use public transport systems such as trains and buses because it gives them the chance to meet new and interesting people from different cultures.
20. Buses and trains are much safer compared to personal vehicles. Personal vehicle accidents are estimated to contribute to higher fatality rates than bus or train related accidents. More than 40, 0000 deaths and many more injuries annually are due to car accidents alone globally. By traveling in public transport, you significantly reduce your threat to road carnages.
21. Areas with public transport have better security. Evidence based research from criminology reports indicate that areas with public transport have improved overall security and few cases of crimes. Public transport areas are actually well lit and manned by patrol as well as police officers thereby reducing crime rates and improving security by more than 80 percent.
