Tag Archives: public transit

Here’s a list of articles about public transit and how AddTransit can help with GTFS files, vehicle tracking, real time status updates and online ticketing.

Transit News

Transit News Roundup (March 3, 2016) – Latest Industry Updates

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Every day we find transit news that is relevant and useful to you. But if you missed these daily posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Linkedin, you can find them all here in one place each week!

Here’s what happened in the transit world last week:

Transit News for bus, train and ferry operators

BUSES & SCHOOL BUSES:

Retiree’s Last Bus Ride Home Leads to a Sweet Surprise

Angelo Fracassa has taken the bus to work for 60 years.  On his last day, his family and friends surprised him by joining him on the bus and taking him to a retirement party.

Franchised Bus Routes Could Reap $1Billion

The Tourism and Transport Forum Australia reports that franchising bus routes in certain cities could add $1billion to government revenue over 5 years.

Big Brother Buses?  Union, Bus Agency in Eavesdropping Fight

A legal battle is underway about whether surveillance of bus passengers can include audio recording.

Is Your Bus Company Ready for Mothering Sunday?

Mothering Sunday was on March 6th in the UK, and we provided some ideas for bus companies to make sure they’re ready for the increased traffic, have their schedules online, and are showing appreciation to the hard working mothers on their teams.

Making School Bus Time Fun and Safe

Ideas from the school bus safety program.

Kiss-Blowing Grandma Receives Birthday Surprise from Kids on School Bus

Doris Vehar greets the kids on the school bus every day when they come by her house.  This year, they surprised her on her birthday.

EPA Helps Schools Get Cleaner-Burning Buses

The US Environmental Protection Agency is granting funds to schools bus providers to help them replace or retrofit old diesel buses with greener models.

Transit News by AddTransit

READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY

Puttin’ On the Push for Read Across America Day

James Ojeda is a bus driver who’s been reading Dr. Suess books to kids for almost 20 years on Read Across America Day.

Reading Celebration Tried and True in Truro

Among some other tried and true ideas to make Read Across America Day a success, the Truro Public Library has had Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Suess’s famous book The Cat in the Hat meet kids at the bus.

TRAINS

Here’s How to Connect to Mumbai Central’s Free Public WiFi

Google is providing free public WiFi to the Mumbai Central train station, and they will roll out WiFi to 100 more rail stations this year.

A Brief Overview of Rail History in the Foothills Cities

Watch an interesting video about rail in the San Gabriel Valley.

TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY

Startup Makes Sense of Transit Data

The new company Urban Engines helps transit companies take the massive amounts of data from transit research and turn it into actionable plans.

Zonar Announces Key Leadership Changes to Support Rapid Growth and Business Development

Zonar is a leading transportation technology company, and they just brought on four new executives to support their growth.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

How San Francisco Got Its New Rider Friendly Transport Map

This new transit map is nice, but we think having an app on your phone is easier to read and more convenient.  What do you think?

The Astonishing Human Potential Wasted on Commutes

It takes the average commuter 26 minutes to get to work.  That adds up to 1.8 trillion minutes that Americans spend getting to and from work!  This includes both time spent in the car and on public transit, but we know from other research that taking the bus or train can often be faster than driving.  It’s also cheaper and more environmentally sustainable, and you can work, sleep or read while you commute.  So if you have to commute, take transit, and don’t let that time be wasted.

Commuters Could Save 1000 Pounds Per Year by Choosing Bus Over Car, Research Shows

Commuting by bus is 55% cheaper than by car.   That’s a lot of savings!

The Best Cities for Public Transportation

Cities in the US were ranked according to the commute time, the percentage of commuters who use transit, and the median income of transit users.  10 cities came out on top.  Check them out!

Take Transit to See Mum for Mothering Sunday

The UK has a lot of transit options for visiting Mum on Mothering Sunday or on any other day.  Whether you took the ferry, coach, undersea train, bus or rail, we hope you utilized the money saving option of traveling by transit this week.  If not, go see Mum today!  And take her for a train ride- she’ll love it!

The Car Century was a Mistake.  It’s Time to Move On.

Some cities are exploring the benefits of making certain areas car-free.  With exceptions for moving freight, this article explores the option of using streets as social spaces and providing good public transit.

Making Public Transportation Part of the Elections

With the US elections coming up, the APTA encourages voters to make their wishes known about public transit to their representatives by writing letters to the editor, using social media and contacting politicians directly.

Everything’s Riding on Forecasts for Transit Plans

City Councillors in Toronto are trying to decide which transit projects to fund.

HYPERLOOP

A New Mode of Transportation

Students from MUN are just one of many teams who are working on developing the hyperloop.

Simulation Driven Design Fast Tracks Hyperloop Development

Design teams are getting ready for the hyperloop race by testing parameters and designs virtually.

Hyperloop is the Perfect Way to Move Goods, Not People

While the hyperloop is undeniably a really awesome concept, some people think that it might be better for transporting freight.  What do you think?

Trial Bringing Into Open New Datasets for Smarter Travel in Home Counties

This project will make multi-modal transportation information available so app developers can make better transit apps.

What do you think about any of the articles or topics?  We’d love to hear from you!

Transit News

Transit News Roundup (Feb 29, 2016) – Latest Industry Updates

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Transit News for bus, train and ferry operators

Every day we find transit news that is relevant and useful to you. But if you missed these daily posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Linkedin, you can find them all here in one place each week!

Here’s what happened in the transit world last week:

BUSES

IA Signals Change for Bus

Infrastructure Australia is starting a 15 year plan to privatize state owned bus operators.

How to Create an Awesome Bus Experience

Ideas from Share the Bus for making a bus trip a great experience for your passengers.

Bus Crash Highlights Seat belt Concerns

Companies say they’d have to increase fleet size if seat belts are made mandatory.

SCHOOL BUSES

Campaigner’s Joy After Cuts to Free School Bus Travel are Halted

A new plan nearly forced students to walk 30 miles a week, but protesters were successful in stopping the plan.

Anderson School District 1 Bus Driver Honored for Saving Student’s Life

This bus driver of 26 years saved a student’s life by paying attention to traffic.

Missouri Bill Targets School Bus Stops Near Sex Offenders

The bill will require school bus stops to be more than 500 feet away from the homes of sex offenders.

Transit News Roundup - Latest Industry Updates

TRAINS

Why are There Stones Along Railway Tracks?

Have you ever noticed the stones along the sides of railway tracks and wondered why they are there?  Here’s your answer!

PUBLIC TRANSIT

Most Public Transit Systems are Too Big for Humans to Comprehend

If you’ve ever had a hard time reading a transit map, it may be because the systems, and all the choices you must make about routes, times, and modes of transit, are just too much to comprehend.

A Brief History of Subway Etiquette Campaigns

Problems like people leaving trash on the train and taking up too much space on the bus have been around for a 100 years.

These are the 9 Cities in the World Where Commuting is the Most Expensive

In some cities, commuting can cost as much as 25% of an individual’s salary!  One more reason to take public transit.

The Progress of Public Transportation in Los Angeles 1990 vs. 2040

It’s interesting to see the growth!

How the CTA Keeps Chicago Moving Through Winter

They have a lot of systems in place for battling the snow and cold!

Public Transportation Benefits

Public transportation saves money, is good for sustainability, reduces congestion and so much more! And in case you missed it, here’s a link to last month’s article.

Public Transportation Saves $16,000 per Year

In a comparison of 20 major US cities, public transportation saved individuals between $10,000 and $16,000 per year.

Mapping the Real Cost of Public Housing- Transportation Included

New research considers how affordable public housing really is when access to public transportation is taken into consideration.

TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY & ADVANCES

Transit Data in Motion

General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) is an important part of urban mobility.   This is the format we put transit schedules into, so they can be picked up by Google and trip planning apps.

Smart and Scalable Urban Traffic Control

A real time system made possible by advances in AI.

Advance Transit to Launch Bus App

The app provides real time tracking and status updates.

Construction Begins on Elon Musk’s Exciting New Transportation Hyperloop

The hyperloop will transport passengers at 800 miles per hour from one major city to the next.

Eltis Mobility Update

Eltis on sustainable urban mobility and how a railway station in France became on intermodal hub.

OTHER

Transit Employee Appreciation Day

Employee Appreciation Day is March 4th, and we have some awesome ideas for making it a special day for your hard working employees.

What do you think about these stories?  We’d love to hear from you!

Holidays, Seasonal Celebrations and Special Occasions

Is Your Bus Company Ready for Mothering Sunday?

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Mothering Sunday is March 6th in the UK, and it can be a busy day for transit companies.  As riders rush to and from church, and too and from visiting Mum, they may be irritable about family rows or the lack of space on the bus.  Here are some ideas for keeping the day running smoothly.

Take Transit this Mothering Sunday

1. Remind your drivers in advance that Mothering Sunday might be an extra busy day.  Remind them of the importance of being polite to riders, even and maybe especially to those who are rude.  Sometimes all it takes is a smile to turn someone’s day around, and bus drivers are generally so good at this.

Also, have your drivers keep an eye on bus capacity, and cap it if necessary.  An overcrowded bus is unsafe and miserable for everyone on board.

2. Will your route or schedule be changing on Mothering Sunday?  How will your riders know?  Unexpected changes can make even the most passive of us pretty irritated.  Your riders expect that information to be online and easily accessible through their smart phones.  People are much more likely to take the bus if the process is simple.  They want to be able to book their tickets online, and make a clear plan of exactly how they’ll get to their destination and any stops along the way.  If things do change, they want to be notified in real time.

We can provide all of this travel planning convenience for your customers.  It’s easy and affordable to get your schedules online and provide riders with real time status updates in the case of delays.    Contact us and find out how!

3. Are any of your drivers or other employees mothers?  Take a moment to appreciate all they do!  They might not get to see their families on Mothering Sunday if they are working, so bring a cake into the office, pass out some flowers, or give them each a card.  You might also find some ideas in our Employee Appreciation Day post.

We’d love to hear from you!  What are you doing to make Mothering Sunday special?

Happy Mothering Sunday from AddTransit!

Transit News

Transit News Roundup (Feb 24, 2016) – Latest Industry Updates

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Transit News for bus, train and ferry operators

Every day we find transit news that is relevant and useful to you. But if you missed these daily posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Linkedin, you can find them all here in one place each week!

Here’s what happened in the transit world last week:

SCHOOL BUSES:

School Bus Driver Passes 50 Years on the Road

Don Beehler started driving school buses just to make ends meet when things on his farm were slow, but he ended up driving for 50 years.   Read about his reminiscing of the way things were.

Transit News Roundup - Lastest Industry Updates

PUBLIC TRANSIT

TFL Opens Car Park and Jamcam Data Feed

Transport for London is making its data for app developers.

This Collection of Bad Transit Maps Will Get you Very Lost Very Quickly

These maps will make you want you had an app…. hey, that’s what we do!

OTHER

The Long and Crumbling Road

Maintaining the upkeep of our massive infrastructure.

Tracking Urban Mobility with Technology

Google invites local research partners to tackle urban mobility issues.

What do you think?  Let us know!

Transit News

Transit News Round Up (Feb 16, 2016) – Latest Industry Updates

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Transit News by AddTransit

Every day we find transit news that is relevant and useful to you. But if you missed these daily posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Linkedin, you can find them all here in one place each week!

Here’s what happened in the transit world last week:

SHUTTLE BUSES AND SCHOOL BUSES

WA to Trial Driver-less Shuttle Bus in Australian First

The shuttle bus has multi sensor technology, can transport up to 15 passengers, and has an average speed of 25 kilometres per hour.

Mayfield School in Whitehaven Celebrates a Double!  A National Award and a New Bus

They were recognized for helping the children, many of whom have difficulties walking, achieve movement independence.  They won a bus that will take them on field trips.

Texas District Tests School Bus Stop Arm Extension

The stop arm extension extends into the next lane of traffic, forcing drivers to stop to let kids cross the road.  They hope it will the stop arm running violations, of which there are thousands per day.

 New Bill Introduces Major Safety Upgrades for Charter Buses

Proposed upgrades include fire-resistant seats, automatic emergency lighting, and more.  Many charter bus owners fear that the cost of the upgrades would put them out of business.

Transit News Round Up: Latest Industry Updates

TRAINS

V/Line Delays: Acting Rail Cheif Rejects Any Conflict of Interest Over Bus Company Selected to Replace Trains

The V/Line is having issues with its network, and in the meantime the Bendigo Coachlines has replaced the train service.  There is a questions of a conflict of interest because the bus company is run by the husband of the the rail company chair.  V/Line maintains that the decision was made with appropriate measures in place to avoid a conflict of interest.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

California DOT Admits that More Roads Mean More Traffic

Building more roads and roads with more lanes just means more cars.  Public transit actually reduces traffic.

Obama ‘Releases Clean Transportation System’ Plan

A proposal for a $10 per barrel fee to be paid by oil companies, which would raise the funds for new investments in public transit.

How Will We Travel in the Cities of Tomorrow?

Keys to urban mobility include addressing safety, the environment, and economic opportunities.

Like Millennials, More Older Americans Steering Away from Driving

Only 69% of 19 year olds have a driver’s license and many are putting off getting one because they prefer public transit.  Similarly, older Americans are declining to renew their licenses once they expire in areas where public transit is cheap and reliable.

 Here Map Expands Public Transit Data Across the Globe

Here Map provides transit data to over 1,000 cities worldwide.   Transit companies need to have their schedules online in order to take advantage of getting their information to their customers with apps like this.

THE FUTURE OF TRANSIT

Elon Musk Hints that his Next Project Could be an Electric Plane

The engineer who brought us the concept of the hyperloop is considering designing and vertical take off and landing electric plane.

Hyperloop Transit System Could Be Hurtling Toward Australia

“‘We’re trying to build the first full-scale Hyperloop in a country with a high-enough density of population, long distances and local infrastructure,’ says Mr Gresta.”

VALENTINE’S DAY

Transit Love Stories: Meeting Cupid on the Bus or Train

Read stories of people meeting their true love on the bus and train platform proposals.

The Love Bus

Another sweet story of finding love on the bus.

Valentine’s Day Romance on Buses and Trains

And our own roundup of stories: from engagement rings in a breath mint box to a woman who feel for a charming smile on a bus stop poster.

Transit News

Transit News Round Up (Feb 9, 2016) Latest Industry Updates

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Transit News by AddTransit

Every day we find transit news that is relevant and useful to you. But if you missed these daily posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Linkedin, you can find them all here in one place each week!

Here’s what happened in the transit world last week:

BUSES

Library in Bus Opens at Knowle West School

When this small school didn’t have enough dedicated library space in its building, they turned a red double decker bus into a library. that even has wifi.   They kids sure seem to love it!

First Driver-less Shuttle Bus Hits Public Roads

The WePods driverless bus had a test run on public roads last week.  It goes a maximum speed of 25 kilometres and will soon have cameras, lasers, GPS and radar.

This Story of a Bus Driver’s Act of Kindness is Cheering up Ireland

A bus driver’s simple act of tying an elderly woman’s shoelace has inspired many people to be more kind.   William Harris of Bus Éireann in Cork, Ireland also inspired people to share stories of other bus driver who had done kind deeds.   We want to hear lots more of these stories for Transit Driver Appreciation Day on March 18th.  Check back here for the chance to nominate your bus driver for a prize.

Rockville Takes a Fresh Look at Bus Transit

While this is specific to the city of Rockville, it does bring up some areas that are challenges for many bus companies.  How smaller companies can compliment, rather than compete, with the larger routes.  making long-range plans, the cost of tunnels, and securing funding.

Transit News Round Up: Latest Industry Updates

TRAINS

Communters Praise ‘Best Ever’ Train Driver Who Conducts Morning Quiz Over the Tannoy

This train driver makes the morning commute fun for his riders by telling jokes and asking quiz questions over the PA system of the train.  Passengers tweet the answers to the quiz questions with the hashtag #timetunneltrain.

Record Budget for Israel Railways

Israel now has a budget of 2.3 billion shekels to improve electrification, provide new signalling, and increase the number of passenger trains in the country.

Royal Mail’s Secret Underground Railway to Open to the British Public

The railway use d to transport 4 million parcels a day.  Now it is being reopened as a heritage site by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

Hyperloop: MIT Students Win Contest to Design Elon Musk’s 700mph Travel Pods

The Hyperloop is a ground transport concept that will connect people from one major city to another.  MIT and other top ranking teams will build their pods and test them at the first Hyperloop test track.

5 Ideas we Need to Steal from Mega cities that Have Great Subways

From rethinking traffic design to better technology to more sustainability, some cities are doing a great job with public transit.

World Economic Forum’s 10 Commandments to Deal with the Urban Mobility Challenge

Changing demographics and social preferences are changing the needs of urban mobility.  Communication, leveraging existing infrastructure, mobility grids and more ideas to help “people meet their needs in the most efficient and effective ways possible.”

I Love Transit: An Interview with Brent Toderian

Brent Toderian is the city of Vancouver’s former Chief City Planner and urbanism consultant around the world.   In this interview, he talks about why he loves transit, his earliest memories of transit, and his excitement about how transit fits into a multimodal city.

OTHER

11 Emerging Technologies That Could Have Major Impacts on Transportation

Among the technologies are the hyperloop and materials science in infrastructure.  Amazing ideas that could transform how we travel!

Let us know what you think about any of these stories!

Transit News

Transit News Round Up (Feb 1, 2016) – Latest Industry Updates

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Transit News by AddTransit

 

Every day we find transit news that is relevant and useful to you.   If you missed these posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Linkedin, you can find them all here in one place each week.

 

Cheap Gas Doesn’t Stop Cities from Embracing Big Ticket Transit Projects

Gas prices in the US have been steadily declining, but that’s not stopping cities from embracing public transit projects.  Voters approved 71% of transit related ballot initiatives in 2015.

 

New Mode Choice Model Helps Officials Make Stronger Case for Transit Improvements

This new research model takes into account many more of the factors that determine whether or not a person decides to take public transit, including cost, total time of travel, number of transfers, different transit schedules on different days, if a household has a car and if that car is being used by another household member, and so on.

Transit News Round Up: Latest Industry Updates

Our main focus last week was rounding up transit related conferences that will be held throughout 2016.

Bus and Charter Bus Conferences in 2016

Our roundup of bus and charter bus conferences includes conferences in the United States, Australia, Poland, and the United Kingdom ranging from local bus association marketplaces to international expos.

 

Public Transit Conferences in 2016

Our roundup of public transit conferences includes 11 conferences hosted by the American Public Transportation Association held in locations across the US, as well as conferences from the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association and IT Tech.  Topics include the legal aspects of running public transit, marketing, risk management, sustainability and more.

 

Let us know what you think, and share some news with us too!

RealTime Transit Status

Your Customers Expect Real Time Status Updates

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Real Time Status Updates….

Customers expect Real Time Status updates

You know others are doing it.

But yes…. you’ve been putting it off.

You are fearful.  There’s a cost. People, systems and reputation.   So it’s been left to another day, another month, another year…

So what to do???  Let’s review each of these fears and see if we can turn these fears into an opportunity.

Your passengers/customers

Your customers and passengers are now expecting real time status updates.  They are tracking their parcels in real time across the globe.  They know if their Amazon book has left the warehouse, if their E-bay dress is in transit or if their pizza is just about to be delivered.  Their use of paper based maps for driving is now a increasingly historical novelty and GPS enabled smartphones is commonplace.  A decade ago it was normal not to know when things would arrive.  But now, not providing that information is seen as poor customer service.

Your team

Your team are already providing realtime status updates.  They do it by phone in the call center, at customer service centers, at stops/stations/ports and on vehicle.  However, this is a drain on your resources.  Imagine if customers/passengers could self-serve and obtain this information themselves.  This would free up your team.  They could focus on sales, upsell, and safety and instead of many team members providing best-effort updates, real time status updates allow you to ensure the right person provides the right information in the most efficient and cost effective way.

Realtime Status Systems and Software

In the past realtime status systems and software meant a massive cost investment.  Electronic signage was installed at key stops. Televisions and automated voice announcements were programmed.  Networking all these together was horrendously complicated.  And then if you wanted on vehicle realtime status systems you had to install triggers to let the vehicles know which stops had been passed and communications throughout the vehicles so all passengers could view the updates.

Luckily this huge cost outlay is no longer required.  With commuters now carrying smartphones, AddTransit can help you publish realtime status updates online.  This is a great opportunity as commuters care more about their journey, than the vehicles journey. Online realtime status updates are like Pizza delivery tracking.  You want to know how long it is until the pizza arrives at your house.  You don’t want to know all houses that the driver will delivering pizza to.  Online realtime status updates allow passengers to focus on just the information that is important to them, without being bombarded by updates that are irrelevant to their journey.  Real time status updates gives you the opportunity to provide passengers a personalized customer experience.

Your reputation

The other fear is the reputation.  The concern is that if your vehicles are late, you’ll be publishing this information for all to see.  This actually is a false fear.  Knowing that the vehicle is late allows passenger confidence in the system to rise, as now you have provided them with additional information giving them the opportunity to adjust their schedules.   Of course you’ll be looking for ways to improve on the service and minimise future delays, but in the meantime the real time status maps and apps will take the brunt of passengers displeasure with late services, and provide passengers reassurance for all the services that run perfectly.

The real time status updates opportunity

So the fears are false.  The opportunity is there.  The question now is poor customer service acceptable?  Or is it time to start real time status updates?

Find out more at https://addtransit.com/real-time-status.php

Or Join today and we’ll get you started.

Have a great day!

Vehicle Positioning

Cheap Vehicle Tracking Software using GTFS-Realtime

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If you are looking for cheap vehicle tracking software, AddTransit is the right place.  Our smartphones apps allow you to track your vehicles and see their current position on a map.

Cheap Vehicle Tracking Software using GTFS-Realtime

So how does it work?

It is very simple, you just signup to AddTransit and then add each vehicle’s details.  You also add the users that will be allowed log into the system.

Then each of your users download the AddTransit app onto their GPS enabled smartphone.

Before they start to drive, they log into the app and select their current vehicle and their route or service. They press START and off they go.  The app keeps sending their location until they tell the app to stop.  Your smartphone is acting as a Vehicle Positioning System, but without the huge cost that is normally associated with such systems. Wow!

The vehicle location can then easily be seen in head office. If you enable GTFS Real-time (a standard that is for reporting realtime locations of vehicles), you can also make your vehicle locations available for your customers to see on internet mapping software such as Google, Bing or Yahoo Maps and journey planning apps.

No longer do you need to contact staff to find out where they are up to.  Your staff can concentrate on the safe travel of their passengers and giving these people a great customer experience.  Your passengers are even more excited as now they can know when their vehicle is approaching or is delayed and can plan accordingly.

Easy!

Have a great day.

Transit News

Benefits of Public Transit

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Transit Awareness Day is February 2, and we want to celebrate by listing a few of the many great benefits to taking public transit from countries around the world.

Benefits of Public Transit / Public Transport by AddTransit

Saves Money

The APTA says taking public transit can save an individual an average of $9453 a year in the United States. In the UK, a person can save over 3,000 pounds per year taking public transit instead of their car, according to Carbon Clever Commuter.

Reduces Pollution

OzeBus of Australia says, “Shifting from cars to public transport can deliver a 65 per cent emissions reduction during peak times and a 95 per cent reduction in emissions during off peak times from the commuters that make the shift.”

Taking the bus or train is a huge way for any individual to reduce their carbon footprint. Even buses that are heavy polluters take around 40 cars off the road every time they run, and most countries are adopting policies to make their buses as green as possible. In the UK, these buses are producing 30% less emissions of greenhouse gases.

Helps the Economy

Public transport provides jobs to operators and staff.

Australia estimates a reduction of $27 million per year in road crash costs and household savings of $176 million in fuel costs.

Because public transit encourages agglomeration, or the gathering of more people in the same place, the economic value can be anywhere from $1.5 million to $1.8 billion depending on the size of the city in the US.

Can Help You Get Fit

Public transit is a great way to get healthy. It can help you burn calories, get outside for more fresh air and sunshine, reduce depression and build healthy habits.

Is Safe

Public transit has about one tenth the number of traffic casualties as cars have, and transit travel has lower overall crime rates than automobile travel, making it a safe and secure way to travel.

Connects People with Community

When people ride the bus or train, they meet other commuters and form connections with their local community. It’s a great way to make friends and see more of your city.

Gives You Time to Work or Get Down Time

Of course, not everyone likes connect with other people during their commute. If you just want to be left alone, you can pop in some ear buds and take the time to catch up on work, read a book or take a nap, which is much more enjoyable than stressing out about traffic while you drive a car. Buses and trains are increasingly being equipped with WiFi so you can get even more done while you travel.

It’s Fun!

If you’ve ever ridden public transit with a little kid, you’ve seen how their eyes light up at the site of the oncoming train, they glue their faces to the window of the bus to see all of the exciting sites, and they’re nearly bursting out of their seats with the joy of the ride.  Be inspired by their happiness and enjoy the ride!