Here in the UK the public transport system is so rubbish that frankly you could be forgiven for thinking that there are absolutely no personal advantages to taking it instead of a car say to work. It is expensive, overcrowded, usually late, uncomfortable and generally slower than driving yourself to your destination, also lacking in flexibility once you are there because buses and trains often only come once every hour.

But why is it then that I take the train to college nearly every day? In reality there are numerous advantages of taking public transportation rather than driving yourself.

1. The cost. Public transport can be expensive. But so is petrol for the car, not to mention all the money you have to spend looking after it, plus the money you paid for it in the first place, plus insurance, plus road tax. Suddenly public transport looks quite a bit cheaper than driving. It is certainly cheaper if it is only going to be you in the car. Furthermore you can normally get heavily discounted fares if you are a young person, and/or if you buy a season ticket.

2. Speed. Ok it can take a long time for a bus or train to arrive. But the train journey for me to get to college takes 20 minutes. Driving on an average day with an average amount of traffic congestion will take me about 40 minutes.

3. Spare time. On a train you can sit and read a book, work, or just enjoy looking out of the window. If you are driving, then well, all you can do is drive, and possibly listen to music or the radio. I also find that I meet many interesting people on trains that obviously I couldn't meet if I were to drive.

4. Environmental impact. This may not seem like much of a personal advantage, but in the long run taking public transport to reduce carbon emissions and other unpleasant pollutants is in all of our best interests.

5. Convenience. It is not always more convenient to drive; in many cities regulations are in place to reduce the number of cars in the city centre, making it more difficult to find space to park and drive to certain parts of the city. In some cases you must pay a toll. In most cases you will have to pay expensive fees in order to park your car.

6. Qualifications (or lack thereof). If you have not passed your driving test then obviously you will not be allowed to drive. In this case public transport will likely be much more convenient than having to walk to your destination, cycle, or get a lift from someone who can drive.

7. Future improvements. Public transport may not be ideal now, but the more people who use it, the better it will become. Admittedly you personally are not going to make much of a difference, but like the environmental impact, it all adds up. In the long run, this could be to your advantage.

So actually there are plenty of reasons why public transportation is an excellent way to travel! Next time you find yourself reaching for the car keys, just ask yourself: is this really worth my while? Or would the train or bus be a better way to go?

Learn more about this author, Algernon Moncrieff.
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