by G. Lee

Created on: October 01, 2007

I would have to wholeheartedly agree that public transportation should be free. In regards to current issues on public transportation, I guess it should be reasonable request for citizens like me to appeal to the government for free public transportation.

The first point I would like to make is that public transportation in my home country almost never arrives on time. It can be considered a lucky day or an event that happens once in a blue moon if any public transportation arrives on the dot. Even worse, whenever those public transportation arrive (even when they are late), they tend to "take a break" between the time of arrival and time of departure rather than depart immediately to make up for the lost time. I can understand that perhaps the driver needs some rest, but what I am frustrated about is that they should put the consumers needs as the main priority rather than their own. What I suggest they can do is to have driver shifts to prevent this delay.

Secondly, most public transportation drivers like to smoke cigarettes whenever they are driving. This causes a very irritating and suffocating environment for asthmatics like me, in addition to the secondary smoke I am inhaling each time this happens. Worse of all, I have to pay for this suffering? What the heck, I would rather walk to my destination rather than pay to exacerbate an asthma attack and get lung cancer!

Thirdly, a number of public transportation are so badly maintained that going into one is like walking right into a just-ransacked house. Most of the time, I can see tissue papers, plastic bags, snack wrappers and plastic bottles on the floor of those public transportation. I even had this experience when I unknowingly sat on a piece of chewing gum! It took me hours to really remove the gum from my trousers afterwards but what really pissed me off is that there was a bin nearby. Of all the places to throw of spit the gum, and it had to be on the seat?

All in all, the main point I am trying to get across is for the government to provide free public transportation for the good of all citizens. Considering the high tax rate already charged on us citizens, does it actually cost so much just to provide better public transportation? Currently, Adelaide (Australia) already has their free City Loop and Bee Line public bus service, so why can't other cities or countries do the same?

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