Traveling through various modes of public transport such as city buses, trams, metro trains, and many more give immense benefits to an individual as well as society. It assists in providing mobility in groups that further help privileged and non-privileged people. Here are the number of benefits one can get while traveling via public transit.
Financial benefits to the society
The investment induced in public transport brings considerable returns that help an economy to function efficiently by encouraging the demand for vehicles to be used for mass movements. Apart from this, it generates employment opportunities. As per the reports of UITP, public transport employs about 7.3 million people as operators and 3,00,000 as authorities worldwide. According to APTA, the investment of each dollar in public transport helps in creating over 50,000 jobs. It employs the capable but unemployed drivers, conductors, and other officials as well.
Pocket-friendly
Public conveyance either to travel long distances or to cover shorter routes is favorable for a passenger to save money. It reduces an individual’s investment in purchasing a car, its maintenance, parking, and miscellaneous charges such as toll tax. And therefore, it immensely benefits underprivileged sections of society. About $10,000 can be saved per household by using public transportation.
Contributes to a safer environment
Practicing more and more public transport can help massively in reducing the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon monoxide that are detrimental to the health of human beings as well as other species. It is because the public vehicles contribute a lesser amount of pollution that helps in maintaining ecological balance to sustain all the species.
Saves natural resources
Several private automobiles can deplete more natural resources as more fuel would be required to operate the separate engines. Public transport makes the judicious use of natural resources by using less fuel comparatively. According to APTA, the U.S. saves about 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline each year merely by using public transport.
Eases traffic congestion
Traffic has become a reason for causing stress and anxiety among travelers. Citizens preferring public vehicles over their cars contribute to relaxing the traffic congestion that further reduces the probability of road accidents. Lesser traffic also helps in getting a calm mood while returning home and hence reduces stress.
Offers more idle time
An individual needs to concentrate continuously on all his senses while driving, while in public transport, people can use their free time productively by reading, studying, and entertaining themselves. As there is no need for passengers to focus on roads continuously, they can enjoy beautiful views or scenes in transit. According to Smart Cities Dive, about 850 million hours can be saved while traveling through public vehicles. Another data by APTA says, about 87% of trips on public carriers impact the local economy directly with the productive use of idle time.
Increases mobility
Lack of driving skills, incomplete knowledge of traffic signs or lights, incapability to drive, physical impairment, etc. can be some of the reasons for people to avoid going out. But public transport ensures everyone to travel comfortably, such as school-going children. Through metro services, people can avoid traffic jams and delays as well. APTA says that 7% of all the riders are students whereas 71% are employees.
Ensures healthy habits
Some studies show that people are more vulnerable to diseases while driving due to a lack of body movement. While using public transportation, people need to walk and make physical movements to change the stations that further prevent several diseases.
Enough time to relax
Train, bus, and plane seats are comfortable enough to get rid of muscle tensions. Passengers can relax their body and mind as there would be no possibilities of exertion. Passengers do not need to continuously focus on roads and vehicles while traveling via public transports.
Chance to interact with new people
Some people are passionate about communicating and always seek a chance to interact with people. While traveling with several diverse people, public transport can help passengers to talk and interact that further benefits in knowing each other’s culture, language, and background. Robert Putnam, the author of Bowling Alone says that social connections can be reduced by 10% for every 10 minutes of additional travel time by car.
Quicker travel
Public vehicles are most suitable to travel long distances, such as airplanes have made long journeys easy and quicker. People can save their valuable time to travel thousands of miles in a few hours or days via public transport such as trains, boats, and airplanes.
Benefits to the aging population
It becomes difficult for aged people to drive through shorter or longer distances. They are more prone to weakness and illness that compels them to avoid driving. Furthermore, reserved seats are being offered to aged people in public buses, metro trains, etc. which support them to travel effortlessly.
A safer travel
Traveling through public vehicles is safer than travel through their conveyance. Proper professionally trained drivers are selected to run public transportation, and hence they become less prone to accidents and other tragedies. One can have a safe, relaxed, calm, and healthy journey through public transportations. The data by Statista shows that by choosing public transport, one can reduce his chances to meet accidents by 90% approximately.
Conclusively there are remarkable benefits of using public transport to an individual, a society, a country, and the world. The economic and environmental benefits of traveling through public conveyance are matchless. But still, there are several reasons that public transportation has not gained the worth attention as there is an enormous growth in the sale of automobiles. Maximum people prefer their vehicles to show status symbol sometimes. Moreover, the new models are launching very frequently. But one needs to understand the urgency to use a financially stable mode of transport to protect the environment and the globe.
