Public Transportation: The Wide-Reaching Benefits of Reliable, Public Transit
Public transportation has grown exponentially over the past several years and it’s likely that we’ll see this growth continue for decades to come. With this growth comes the potential for many societal benefits from the environmental impact to the economic and social impact. So, next time you’re thinking of taking your own car to work or out to eat, think of the benefits of hopping on public transit instead!
The impact of transportation on the environment is substantial. About 85 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are directly linked to transportation. Public transportation can greatly reduce the emissions produced by cars and other vehicles. In fact, choosing to take public transit instead of a personal vehicle can reduce your carbon footprint by about 20 pounds per day, or more than 48,000 pounds per year. Then, consider the cost and time effectiveness of public transportation for the individual. The public transit systems currently in place in the United States save the country about 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually. Instead of being stuck in traffic, taking public transit saves about 865 million travel hours for Americans.
In a new paper set for publication in Urban Studies it is reported that “The hidden economic value of transit could be worth anywhere from $1.5 million to $1.8 billion a year depending on the size of a city.” Particularly in larger and more population-dense cities, public transit can alleviate traffic congestion and allow budding and developing areas to continuously grow instead of being hindered by becoming hard to reach and traffic prone. More business growth can lead to more job opportunities and economic growth -- a strong case for any city to invest in public transport.
The economic growth that can be spurred on by investments in public transit infrastructure can uplift other areas of the economy aside from job growth. The money that cities have saved through public transit can be reallocated to other areas that need it more like public school systems, affordable housing developments and other community-building initiatives. Stability in communities can start with affordable housing. And one of the main resources that affordable housing developments need is affordable and accessible public transportation. A stable home and a stable means of transportation can lead to steady career and educational growth.
Finally, a benefit that might not always be thought about is the social impact of public transportation. Robert Putnam explains that for every 10 minutes of additional travel time via car, social connections are reduced by 10 percent. And unless you’re a carpool passenger, you're missing out on productive opportunities to read, write, relax and communicate with others.
It’s easy to forget about public transportation when you’re not in a big city and sometimes it’s easier to call a cab after a long night out on the town. But there are so many ways that public transportation can benefit all of us, especially future generations and the communities that need uplifting the most.
To see this principle in action, be sure to check out Seneca Communities and our work at senecacommunities.com