Benefits of Public Transportation in Contrast to Personal Vehicles Usage

Nowadays, how to commute and to choose what kind of vehicles is a subject about which people hold strongly contrasting views. The most regular means of transportation that individuals choose are the public transport and private cars. The reasons why people are willing to use them depend on their different aspects of thinking. For example, even in the large urban areas where people do not have their own cars, the high rate of mobility can be seen for commuters who use public transport system.

Both of these ways to transport have their own benefits and drawbacks, which will be discussed in this comparison and contrast essay about their comfort, cost, and their influences on the environment.

The private cars differ from public transport in comfort and safety. Taking the bus or train is less comfortable compared to driving. As Irwin states that when people are using the public transport, they are exposed to a confined space that should be shared with them.

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Moreover, there is less security in public buses and it is possible belongings of people will be stolen, so they may feel less convenience (2013). In addition, unlike personal vehicles, there are limited seats in buses as well as trains for passengers, and sometimes they are made to be standing a great deal of time to reach the destination. However, people will have a chance to do their favorites including reading books, checking their mobiles, and also talking with their friends. As Lee et al claims, driving, on the other hand, is more convenient since whenever you want you are able to take your car and drive while people have to spend some time on waiting for a bus or subway.

Furthermore, cars provide many facilities like air conditioner, a great audio system, and comfortable seats for passengers (2016). In the end, in contrast with driving own cars, citizens feel less convenience when they use public transport.

Public transportation and personal cars have differences in cost. Using the subway or bus for commuting trips will not be as expensive as driving own cars, which makes people consider it as the economic choice. Haider indicates that when people go to work by bus or subway, they spend money on just the ticket and there is no additional expense; some facilities such as U-pass card are being provided for passengers by states as well. There are some useful applications for mobile phones which provide people with information about the availability of public means of transit as well as how much time is needed to get the destination. According to the research conducted by Cuiying and his colleagues, if this application of guidance is employed, the expenditure for traveling and cost savings will slowly diminish by 14.2%. On the other hand, not only do people need to pay a considerable amount of money to purchase a car, but also there are other costs including, gas, repairment, and maintenance. Therefore, commuters will spend less money if public transport is used.

Private vehicles and public transport vary in their effects on the environment. Public transit vehicles are considered as an environmentally friendly means of transportation. Additionally, since a majority of citizens are carried by public transport, the number of vehicles that may be used for commuting will be decreased. However, public transport has always been one of air pollution resources; as a consequence, drastic measures have been taken by some developed and developing countries. As a case in point, the number of buses which are powered by electricity is rising dramatically in Europe and Africa, or China has made a decision to power their public transportation system through solar power. In contrast, using private vehicles contributes to prompt and long-term influence on the environment throughout air and noise pollution. Haider (2013) warns that private vehicles are responsible for producing a wide range of gas emission and solid matters, which can result in global warming, acid rain, and even human diseases; nevertheless, the tendency to manufacturing the electric cars in numerous countries is significantly rising. In summary, public transport is less pollutant than private vehicles.

In conclusion, it is evident that the advantages of using public transport outweigh personal vehicles usage in terms of cost and effects on the environment. However, people who are driving their own cars feel more comfort and convenience. In other words, some citizens who choose the public means of transportation are involved in protecting the planet unlike its less comfort.

Works cited

1. Cuiying, J., Jie, L., & Qian, L. (2017). Using transit smartphone apps to reduce transit costs. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 75, 192-207.
2. Haider, M. (2013). Public transport versus private car: What do people really want?. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 104, 870-879.
3. Irwin, T. (2013). Why I hate public transport (and you should too). Daily Mail. Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2306402/Why-I-hate-public-transport--you-too.html
4. Lee, C. K., Park, K. W., & Park, H. J. (2016). The effect of public transport use on travel satisfaction: Comparing bus and subway. Transport Policy, 50, 42-51.
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