Although many of us would not prefer to take public transportation if given a choice, the more people we have taking buses, trains, and subways, the less people we have on the road. More people utilizing public transportation would decrease traffic, noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. All of us want a cleaner planet for our future and the future of our children. Here are a number of reasons why public transportation should be free for those people willing to use the public system.
As a society, we want the public transportation system used. The fewer cars we have on the road, the less pollution we have going into the atmosphere. A decrease in fossil fuel emissions will increase air quality and aid in the fight against global warming. We need to do all we can to protect our environment. Providing free transportation is a small price to pay when we consider the alternative of continued polar ice cap melting and extreme climate changes.
Free public transportation has been proven to be more economical to cities in the long run. With less traffic on the roads, the roadways do not need as much upkeep. Further, there is no need for ticket sellers or toll collectors. Their salaries can be used instead to purchase new vehicles for the increased demand in public transportation.
Free public transportation would ensure that all citizens, regardless of their income level, are able to get to necessary appointments. A large number of our population lives on fixed incomes, on or below the poverty level. Allowing free access to transportation will increase work options for people who do not have a car.
Providing free public transportation ensures that the drivers are not preoccupied with collecting tolls and are instead watching traffic and being mindful of their surroundings. Drivers that do not have to constantly stop to check fares are less likely to be involved in road accidents. Also, if there are no fares, busses can open all doors for riders to get in and out, speeding up the loading and unloading processes.
Although the idea of riding the bus every day to work is not very appealing, saving money every week on gas is. At an average of 3.10 a gallon, filling an average sized SUV can cost anywhere from 50-65 dollars. The cost of gas has become so high that some workers are unable to pay for their commute without significantly reducing their take home pay. Free public transportation is the answer for hard working people to have more money in their pockets, clean air in their lungs and a better future for their children.