Public Transportation

Public Transportation

Public transportation refers to modes of transit that are available for use by the general public and that multiple people can use at once. Public transportation is most often contrasted with modes of transit that individuals can use, mostly commonly the automobile. Public transportation may include the use of buses, subways, heavy and light rail, and in some countries, ferries (Fotsch, 96-105). In general, transportation options that are for hire, such as taxi services, are not considered public transportation, but other public operations such as vanpool services and services for the elderly or individuals with disabilities are considered public transit. Many of these services are subsidized by national, regional, and local governments, and as such have come to be considered a public good. Although there are many reasons individuals choose to use public transportation options, a recent trend is to do so to be green or to decrease one's carbon footprint (Goilias, 175-180).

The growth of the highway and road systems in the last decades caused more and more individuals to become increasingly dependent on transportation to get to work, entertainment activities, and shopping. Approximately 80 percent of the eligible population in the United States chooses to drive a car, or at least to obtain a driver's license. The history of individuals' reliance on personal transportation starts in 1916, when Congress created the Bureau of Public Roads and began matching funds with states for highway development. The Federal Highway Act of 1956 included earmarked revenue from a gasoline tax to provide funding for highway development that could be passed to the states. As a result, most state and local governments began to construct highways and roads (Grava, 85-90).

Discussion

Developing better alternatives to current transportation systems and technologies is critical to any sustainable development strategy. Globally, mobility services are responsible for more than 60 percent of world oil consumption. The International Energy Agency predicts that global oil consumption will increase from its 2007 level of about 83 million barrels per day to more than 106 million barrels per day in 2030. In addition, despite all of the talk in recent years about alternative fuels, petroleum-based products remain dominant, constituting 98 percent of all transport energy consumption in 2008 (Harrington, 99-107).

Given the growing demand in carbon-based transportation services, the following questions will be critical to meeting the challenges of sustainability. What are the principal modes of transportation? How do environmental externalities vary among modes? What are some common factors that influence the economic, social, and environmental characteristics of transportation systems? Also, what strategies can be employed to develop more efficient and environmentally sustainable methods to move people, goods, and services from point A to point B?

There are many available alternative transportation choices, including:

Human-powered: walking, biking

Private vehicle: rented or owned

For hire, single party: taxi or limousine

Shared ride: carpool, vanpool

Rubber-tired: public transit bus or trolley bus

Rail transit: street cars/light rail, monorail, heavy rail, commuter rail

Airborne: airplane, helicopter

Waterborne: ferry or personal boat

Each mode varies widely in cost. Environmental economists use an inclusive concept called triple bottom ...