That’s right, a new poll shows that most Americans want more public transportation and would rather take the bus than drive. The survey, commissioned by transportation advocacy group Transportation for America, found that 82 percent of Americans want more funding for public rail and buses. And 73 percent said they’d rather ride a bus to work.
From Wired:
Support for public transportation was strongest in urban areas and in the Northeast, but a full 58 percent nationwide said that more money should be spent on bus, rail and other public transit. Even in sparsely populated rural areas that may never see a bus or a train pass through, half of respondents said they’d support increased transportation funding.
“In small towns and big cities alike, Americans are saying loudly and clearly that their lives would be better, and their nation stronger, if we had world-class public transportation and more options for walking and bicycling,” said Geoff Anderson, T4 co-chair and CEO of Smart Growth America.
Makes sense to me. Nothing sucks the joy out of driving like a commute—cars crawling over asphalt, stale air oozing out of the dash, news radio squawking ceaselessly from the speakers. I love driving. But commuting is not driving. Given the option, I’d take a bus or train over a car every time. On a bus or train you can play games, read a book, or browse car blogs. You can stare out the window and wistfully dream of better days. Plus, buses and trains consume far less energy per passenger than cars. For a daily commute, you can’t beat mass transit.
I say save cars for fun, like track days or weekend trips to the beach. And if we start thinking of cars as fun again, rather than transportation appliances for the daily grind, maybe auto manufacturers will make them fun again. What do you think?
Source: Wired