II.

Public Transportation
As some parts of the world begin a cautious, gradual re-opening after COVID-19, the
future of public transportation is a concern. Millions of people are returning to their daily
routines, which include getting to and from work. So, we learn about public
transportation to see its positive and negative aspects for different aspects of life.
A. Definition and examples of public transportation
According to the Cambridge dictionary definition: Public transportation is a system of
vehicles such as buses and trains that operate at regular times on fixed routes and are used
by the public. Another meaning describes “Public transportation” is a form of local travel
that enables more people to commute together along designated routes.

Typical examples of types of public transportation include buses, trains, and trams. High-
speed rails, airlines, and coaches dominate public transportation between cities.
Most public transport services operate on stipulated timelines. Some transportation
systems operate on a full capacity basis, which means the vehicle will not start until it’s
full. However, many cities worldwide provide shared taxis when the essence of time is a
factor.
B. Benefits of using public transportation
The benefits of public transportation can be classified as economic, environmental, or
social...
1. Environmental Benefits

Of course, public transport benefits are wide and far-reaching. From an environmental
perspective, public transport:

 Ensures a Cleaner Ecosystem

Public transportation significantly reduces the number of cars on the road. This means
less pollution from motor vehicle emissions. Fumes produced by vehicles can lead to
respiratory diseases.

Few cars on the road mean a reduction in the possibility of these dangerous diseases. A
clean environment boosts living standards and brings immense benefits to the economy.
  Prevents Global Warming

As the impacts of global warming become more apparent, world leaders are looking for
ways to bring down these effects. One of the easiest sectors to deal with is transportation,
which involves fewer automobiles on the roads.

Cars emit greenhouse gasses, which are responsible for global warming. By reducing the
number of vehicles, the amount of greenhouse gas produced will not be enough to cause
global warming.

 Reduces Carbon Footprint

Public transportation offers an immediate alternative for individuals seeking to reduce
their energy use and carbon footprints. This action far exceeds the benefits of other
energy-saving household activities, such as using energy-efficient light bulbs or adjusting
thermostats.
2. Cost savings

This is applicable at individual levels and in society at large. As the government

subsidizes public transport, it is cheaper than private vehicles. Traveling by public
transport also decreases the traveling cost per person.
When fewer private vehicles are being used, resources like petrol and diesel are reduced.
This helps in preserving non-renewable resources.

 Saves Money

Taking public transportation instead of owning a second vehicle can save individuals
significant money each month in avoiding gas, maintenance, parking, and other expenses.
Household Expenses are also reduced by using public transit as the family gets rid of
buying one car and maintaining and operating the car.

 Financial Benefits of Communities

For every dollar invested in public transportation, economic returns generated are $4, and
for every $1 billion in investments in the sector, 50,000 jobs are generated and supported.
According to APTA, an investment of $10 million in public transportation generates
about $30 million in increased business sales, and residential property values for homes
near public transit with high-frequency service “performed 42% better than other areas.”
3. Reduction in traffic congestion

Urban congestion is one of the greatest challenges of developed nations. Statistically,

Australian cities incur a cumulative annual cost of $12.9 billion due to traffic congestion.
If transport systems are not modernized in the near future, this cost could go up to $20
billion.

The solution to this nightmare lies in the expansion of public transportation. For instance,
a single railway can eliminate 1000 cars from the roads.

4. Social Benefits

From the social point of view, public transport;

 Improves Health

Bringing health policies in line with transport can significantly reduce the burden on
health services by encouraging active lifestyles. Public transport ensures citizens are at
their best healthwise by encouraging them to walk to bus and railway stations while
alleviating the stress that comes with driving a car on congested roads.

Research shows that every hour spent driving a car increases the possibility of obesity by
more than 6%. Conversely, each additional kilometer walked per day was associated with
a 4.8% reduction in the likelihood of obesity.

 Benefits the Aging Population

Research studies indicate that the number of people older than 65 years is projected to go
up from 14% in 2006 to 22% by 2030.

Older adults heavily depend on public transport to access essential services. Public
transport authorities must work hard to cater to this aging population.
  Freedom and Increased Mobility

Many people cannot drive, and even those who can would appreciate the ability to walk,
cycle, or take public transit, at least when required. Public transportation allows them
personal mobility to get to work, school, grocery store, doctor’s chamber, or friends
without having to engage a friend or relative to drive them.

Millions of non-drivers, specifically children, are usually stuck up in automobile-

dominated suburban locales where they must depend on others for rides.

 Frees Up Time

In public transportation, passengers don’t have to drive, allowing them to use their time
and attention for other activities. They can read, work, study, or be entertained during
transit instead of focusing on the road.

This can also lead to shorter commute times. Unlike driving a car, transit riders have the
freedom to sleep, read, write, relax, and engage in various tasks while traveling.

 Public Transportation is Safer

Choosing public transport is often safer than driving a car. Public transit vehicles are
regularly maintained and operated by trained professionals. Transit operators undergo
extensive training, typically more than the average car driver (with a minimum of 120
hours of training).

They also receive regular refresher training to ensure safety standards are maintained.
This emphasis on training and maintenance contributes to the overall safety of public
transportation compared to personal car travel.

In fact, a person can reduce his or her chance of being in an accident by more than 90%
simply by taking public transit instead of commuting by car.Traveling by public
transportation is 10 times safer per mile than traveling by automobile.

 Social Connections Increase

Robert Putnam, the author of Bowling Alone, said that for every 10 minutes of additional
travel time by car, social connections are reduced by 10%. Millennials consider public
transportation as the best option for digital socializing and among the best for connecting
with communities.
C. Drawbacks of public transportation
1. Limitations in flexibility and time constraints

Having looked at both sides, slowness is a major problem. One of the disadvantages of
using public transport is that you have to follow a specific schedule, especially for buses,
trains, or trams. This will include waiting time. The regularity of public transport service
is typically low, and you may have to wait over an hour for the next bus or train. You
have to pass multiple stops even when you are in a hurry. Many are is often behind the
timetable, which bring about the loss of passengers.

For example, I went by bus to a recruiting company for an interview. However, the bus
did not run on the schedule so I was late when I went to the company, then the company
refuse to recruit me.

One of the most significant disadvantages of public transportation is the poor quality of
those services. It may take many hours to go to a location that could be reached in 20
minutes by motocycle or car.

2. Comfort and safety are not completely guaranteed

Another disadvantage is that public transport such as buses, trains are very crowded
during office hours. Sometimes, there is not enough space for passengers to have a seat.
It becomes very difficult for older people to travel on public transport during these hours.
It is also very difficult for people with claustrophobia or breathing troubles. A crowded
vehicle can lead to lightheadedness and nausea. The vehicle are also used for a long time,
therefore, they can be very out of date and dirty. All of these factors make the passenger
feel very inconvinienced.

Using public transport might not always be the safest option. When traveling by public
transport, you must share your ride with others. You might come across some people with
very bad attitudes that are definitely going to have a negative impact. You can even get
stuck talking to someone when you have some work to do.

It may be unsafe to ride public transportation in cities with high crime rates. You can
have your pocket picked up or your purse stolen in a crowded bus. Sometimes, people,
mostly women, are victims of sexual harassment on public transport, and such an
experience will be quite traumatizing. Also, apart from these safety issues, with terrorism
on the rise, public transport has been the target of several attacks. It should be noted that
public transit at night may not be the ideal option for increasing your safety, particularly
if you reside in an area that is deemed dangerous.
3. Uneven infrastructure development

 Most of the time, public transport is not available door to door

Public transports are mostly not available door-to-door. You have to walk to the nearby
bus stop or subway station. While most young people do not have a problem, older
people will find it difficult to walk the distance between their home and the bus stop or
station. This is also very inconvenient for differently-abled people. They are often unable
to avail of public transport due to these difficulties.

 Very rare in some areas

While public transport is available in urban areas, rural areas might not have enough
buses or trains. Public transport cannot reach all areas, which is a problem for people
trying to reach remote areas. Several parts remain inaccessible via public transport.
Certain rural areas have very few buses or trains and you might have to wait a long time
before boarding one.
To sum up, going by public transport has both positives and negatives. While people
could save money and protect the environment by using public transportation, they have
to endure the inconvinience and slowness. In my opinion, if the government invests in
modernising public transportion in the years to come, it will attract a huge number of
people to use it.

D. Improving public transportation systems

 1. Investment in finances and infrastructure

 Giving Public Transport Road Priority

The efficiency of public transport could be largely improved by giving priority to buses,
trams, and other public vehicles on the road.

This can be achieved through the implementation of more bus lanes, also known as
‘queue jump’ lanes. These lanes are separated from the rest of the road, usually by a thick
white line, and can help to improve the reliability and safety of buses.

One of the main restrictions of public transport is the strict timetable that vehicles try to
adhere to - even when there is unpredictably high traffic on the road.

The implementation of bus lanes removes this variable and allows more buses to stick to
their schedule - meaning more people will be likely to trust and use public transport to get
them where they need to be on time. These priority lanes can also help to reduce general
road congestion, especially if they can be used by motorists outside of operating hours.

Another way to improve public transport is to give priority to public vehicles at traffic
lights. This strategy has already been implemented in Sydney, Australia - with the use of
SCATS (Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System). SCATS uses predictive
algorithms to predict the exact moment a bus is set to arrive at an intersection and then it
turns the traffic light green before the bus arrives. According to Transport for NSW, this
has almost doubled the average bus speed through intersections, and has also increased
customer satisfaction and levels of use on services.
2. Technological innovation and system management

 Improve bus frequency

First and foremost, riders want buses to arrive more frequently. The time spent waiting
for the bus (sometimes in the rain) is a major part of their total transit time. Riders want
the assurance that their bus will arrive soon, preferably in less than 15 minutes.

 Reducing Fraud
Customers want moving to be as simple as possible, but it’s also important to have ticket
barriers and gates in place to reduce fraud and maximise passenger safety. By
implementing tripod turnstiles or full panel gates with integrated ticket validation and
payment systems, you can reduce fraud on public transport.

Access control in public transport environments firstly serve the purpose of acting as both
a deterrent and a physical barrier in practice by restricting movement unless authorisation
has been granted. This has a knock-on effect when it comes to fraudulent behaviour and
reduces the occurrence of illegal fare evasion and criminal activity. By taking care to
have a zero tolerance approach to fare evasion and social disorder, the broken windows
theory can be applied here as it has been proven that uncivilised and antisocial behaviour
is reduced by implementing these safety and security measures.

Automatic fare collection gates ensure transport operators see a faster passenger
throughput to make the process more efficient - whilst also maintaining a high level of
security to protect staff and passengers as well as important revenue streams.

 Enhancing Connectivity and Convenience

The last but certainly not least of our ways to improve public transport is to enhance the
ways in which travellers connect with their journey. A smartphone is now an essential
commodity that everyone carries with them. Being able to harness its power to connect
touchpoints and information to passenger activity improves the experience for users and
operators alike.

Smart technology can allow customers to open gates with smartphone tickets, instead of
worrying about purchasing a ticket from the machine. This reduces queue times even
during rush hour, and allows users to easily pass through gates, regardless of their user
type.

But it doesn’t end there. Smartphones can further improve public transport. New
technology can also give station managers insightful data that they can use to improve the
function of their station even further and help to keep customers safe. For example, by
forecasting peak times or identifying gates in need of repair.
Many transport companies are now starting to implement apps that allow passengers to
look up arrival and departure times, platform notices and other useful information.
3. Improving Customer Satisfaction & Safety

No doubt that with a rise of satisfied customers we would also see a rise in the use of
public transport more regularly; in this case some essential features should function
without any hitch.

If all public transport gates are optimised and working efficiently in self-service format as
they should, then staff are free to provide better customer service, concentrating on those
who need additional help and answer travellers’ questions. It also facilitates a smooth and
fast user flow and avoids any bottleneck in rush hours.

The more intuitive and user-friendly the gate design is, the more welcoming and
agreeable it is for users. Busy passengers require simple but fast gate control that is easy
to use and that responds immediately. This can reduce the stress of very busy periods
such as rush hour, reducing anxiety and assisting travellers to feel calm and in control.
Another benefit of self-service access control is that naturally, it also requires less labour
overhead costs.

With higher traveller satisfaction having a knock-on effect on transport operator

businesses, it is important to observe the ways in which services can be improved for
higher engagement long-term.

Conclusion

While public transportation may not be enjoyable to many, like riding in your personal
car, it plays a huge role in reducing traffic congestion, minimizing emissions, and gives
you a whole lot of quality time to watch and interact with your neighbors.

Public transportation lets you relax, read a newspaper or book, and take a nap during the
commute rather than experiencing the stress of driving on busy roads.

Enhancing the quality and efficiency of public transport systems is critical to encouraging
individuals to shift to public transport.
https://www.educba.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-public-transport/

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/benefits_of_public_transportation.php

https://thenextfind.com/pros-cons-of-using-public-transport/
https://blog.gunneboentrancecontrol.com/4-ways-to-improve-public-transport
https://blog.ballard.com/4-ways-to-improve-public-transport