Why doesn t america have buses?

There are some claims that American geography makes public transit untenable, but the truth is that our built environment has been created in such a way that people have little choice but to drive. After World War II, car culture and an increased focus on single-family homes built the kind of suburbs we know today.



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Unfortunately, federal infrastructure policy and programs have not modernized to meet the five major challenges facing the U.S. transportation system: major injuries and fatalities, climate change, congestion, unequal economic opportunity, and crumbling facilities.

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In a recent study at the University of California at Berkley, researchers discovered that commuters are more inclined to stop using public transit if they experience delays which can be blamed on the transit agency. (Most people will forgive other inconveniences such as traffic, emergencies or mechanical failures.)

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Public transportation gets people where they're going while emitting far fewer climate-warming greenhouse gases than private cars. The reason is simple efficiency: while cars usually carry just one or two people at a time, a bus can carry 50 or more, and a train in a large city may carry thousands.

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Public transport in Hong Kong routinely ranks high among the best in the world, and for good reason. The network is extensive, to say the least, and the city is proud of the fact that 75 percent of the population lives within one kilometre of a metro station – that's less than 15 minutes' walk.

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Europe's public-transit systems are so good that many urban Europeans go through life never learning to drive. Their wheels are trains, subways, trams, buses, and the occasional taxi. If you embrace these forms of transportation when visiting cities, you'll travel smarter.

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Quick and Green Travel Skip the buses and traffic on the road and instead treat yourself to spacious and comfortable seating, access to the Café Car and Quiet Car and many more thoughtful amenities onboard the train. Rail travel is at the head of the class when it comes to eco-friendly travel.

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But how safe is a bus? According to the National Safety Council public transportation is 10 times safer than other vehicle travel. The NSC study found that people who used buses or trains 40 times per year were 20 times less likely to be injured in a crash. Buses are safer than most modes of transportation.

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Public transportation gets people where they're going while emitting far fewer climate-warming greenhouse gases than private cars. The reason is simple efficiency: while cars usually carry just one or two people at a time, a bus can carry 50 or more, and a train in a large city may carry thousands.

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Everyone loves to hate riding the bus — passengers complain about cleanliness, overcrowding, timeliness and inefficiency. In a piece for Salon.com, writer Will Doig argues that disliking the bus is practically an American pastime, but buses are key to improving mass transit.

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