by T. M. Beeker

Created on: March 31, 2008

Public transportation is the best method for moving people to and from work. For both the government and the individual its clear the economic, environmental, and public health benefits of public transport are far greater than perceived freedom afforded by private transportation.

With gas headed for 4.00$ per gallon in the next month or so and the fact it has doubled in price in less than 5 years the private citizen is crazy to ignore cheaper public transport. When government's calculate what is spent on highways and other road related infrastructure again public transportation is an attractive alternative.

Not all public transportation is environmentally friendly. Yet, today that is rapidly changing. Chicago along with other large cities have fleets of buses that run on natural gas. Electric trains operate in just about every major metropolitan area. These two examples if applied on a wide scale would make quite a dent in the green house emissions and energy costs that governments pay out every year. Match that to your own costs for transportation and riding a train or a bus becomes very environmentally and economically attractive. No, I will never be accused of being a tree-hugger but even I like green technologies that cost less to operate. European cities that have banned autos in urban areas are reaping significantly cleaner air and lower operating costs.

The next time you and about million of your closest friends are crammed together on the road think about the amount of pollution your car is producing. Multiply it by the other cars in the same lane as you. Not only the green house gases but the toxins you are breathing in provide a sobering argument in favor of free public transportation.

I will always want to drive my own personal vehicle. However, gas prices have made the strongest argument for me to consider public transportation when traveling more than 5 miles from home. Governments in Europe and much of Asia likewise see the benefit of large-scale public transportation that eliminates the major problems of transportation; costs, environmental impact, stress on those commuting, and finally public health.

Public transportation especially that which is free will make the strongest argument for people to use it as opposed to sitting in traffic choking on emissions from thousands of cars. The rising price of fuel buy itself is an excellent force for change from private to public transportation.

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