Thirty-five million. That is the number of times Americans board public transportation every weekday.
Public transit is an integral part of society and can yield numerous benefits, when properly prioritized. If you live in an area where gas prices are steep, a ride on the trolley is often more cost effective, in addition to saving the wear and tear on your own car.
Thirty-five million. That is the number of times Americans board public transportation every weekday.
Public transit is an integral part of society and can yield numerous benefits, when properly prioritized. If you live in an area where gas prices are steep, a ride on the trolley is often more cost effective, in addition to saving the wear and tear on your own car.
For those concerned about reducing our carbon footprint, opting for a bus ride over driving a personal vehicle is a great start. Public transportation also provides for a closer-knit community and great networking opportunities, while avoiding the isolation and stress of sitting in rush hour traffic on a Monday morning.
Not to mention, you are vastly safer in a bus or trolley than your own car. California drivers have a reputation for a reason, and according to the American Public Transportation Association, taking public transit is ten times safer than traveling by automobile.
With all these benefits, taking the bus to work is a no-brainer, right? In San Diego, it is not as clear cut. Our transportation system is far from stellar. Sure, if you live in Downtown, where bus stops are as numerous as coffee shops, it might be worth it.
However, the further east you travel, the less appealing this option becomes.
In East County, many of the trolley stops are not well guarded by security and the routing is poorly mapped out. The Orange Line trolley, which primarily services East County, has a strong reputation for being the least well maintained. Bus stops can be so infrequent and trolley stops so far apart, that a commute to work which would take twenty minutes by car can take nearly two hours. The trolley does not travel further east than central El Cajon and Santee, so those in Lakeside or far east El Cajon do not even have the option of convenient public transit.
Public transportation can have so many benefits for a society and for the individual, but currently, our officials do not put the money, effort and time into promoting excellence in our local system. In order for our community to reap the full benefits of public transportation, we need to improve our transportation infrastructure, and put better standards into place for security, cleanliness, and maintenance.
It time for us to reach out to our City Council officials and ask them to prioritize public transportation.
