| Making the Transition to Public Transport |
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By: Samuel Muriithi
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The many people that use private means of transport, with car owners forming the bulk of this group, will hardly ever think about making the transition to public transport even in the face of rising fuel and car insurance costs. It is the pleasures and conveniences that come with owning an automobile that make such people literally shudder at the thought of using public transport. Giving up the independence, prestige, free spirit feeling and fun that a car offers is honestly asking quite a lot of this ilk. While holding absolutely nothing against car owners, the question begs, "Is making the transition to public transport a worthwhile decision?" Read on. 1What Options of Public Transport Are There?Some of the most common forms of public transport include trains, trams, buses, and light railway. The optimal use of these options is seen as being instrumental in the effort to reduce air pollution and alleviate the traffic congestion synonymous with the urban areas of the world. Water transport, e.g., through the use of ferries is another form of public transport. 2The Cost Benefits of not Driving Your Car – Cutting on Fuel CostsThe decision to ditch your car, at least temporarily, and hop onto any of the available means of public transport will certainly pay some dividends you can appreciate. The cost of fueling your car, especially in the summer, affects the typical household budget in such a way that cannot be easily overlooked. In a household that owns multiple cars, the decision to refrain from using one of the cars and using public transport instead might translate into weekly savings in the range of $50 to $75. Saving an extra $300 monthly is not bad at all. 3The Cost Benefits of not Driving Your Car too Often - Saving on Repair CostsOf course, fuel costs are not the only expenses that come with owning a car; there is the gradual wear and tear that comes with using your machine constantly. This natural process means that every once in a while you have to use a mechanic’s services just to ensure that the car is always in perfect running order. Even a perfectly serviced vehicle has a lifespan, unless its use is restricted to the collector’s showroom. Leaving your car at home and making the switch to public transport can increase the lifespan of your automobile by up to two years. Making this transition does not mean that you are meant to abandon your car for months at a time – this will actually do more harm than good. A more prudent way to go about this is to restrict the use of the car to the weekends. 4The Cost Benefits of not Driving Your Car – Improvements to Your HealthOpting to use public transport over your car actually comes with plenty of useful health benefits, especially if you don’t have the luxury of being chauffeured around. You may be the most responsible driver, one who has a perpetual commitment to upholding all the traffic rules, and one who has never been pulled over to receive a ticket, but you share the roads with other drivers, some of who may be literally road-insane. The things that these drivers do on the roads are despicable. Abrupt stops, sudden turns, driving while on the phone, drunken driving, etc. all translate into driver outrage for you and accumulated stress when the same is experienced on every waking day – twice. Public transport, on the other hand, just requires you to be at the respective station promptly. Once inside the transport means of your choice you can simply sit down and start flipping through the paper as you head for the office. On your way home you can socialize with other workers or even strangers and if you are too spent, taking a nap is very much in order. This option will certainly work positively for your health and general productivity. 5Other Assorted Benefits of Using Public TransportAs compared to using your car, public transport will spare you an assortment of troubles. You won’t have to worry about getting a parking space, let alone the daily expense of buying a parking ticket. There is a lot of insecurity to contend with, especially if you drive alone along lonely roads – don’t even talk about the risks that come with getting a flat tire in the middle of the night when driving through a notorious neighborhood or a forested area. It is impossible to drive and work simultaneously but on a means of public transport you can click away on your laptop just like you do at the office or at home. 6Finding Public Transport in Your LocaleUpon making the transition to public transport, you need to know which means out of those available will serve you best. It is now quite easy to assess all the options your area has to offer – just check for these online. Google Transit is one of these solutions and it offers public transport advice for more than 446 cities across the globe. Alternatively, you can use www.publictransportation.org to get the same type of help for all the states in the US. |