USA Today printed an interesting article about public transit yesterday.  It seems that ridership continues to reach record levels because of gas prices.  Unfortunately, record fuel prices and record numbers of users are proving challenging for public transit systems.  So, the last thing they need is people who deny the basic facts about their services.

I have heard more than one “critical thinker” deny that ridership on public transit is increasing.  Does it not make perfect sense that people take the bus more frequently when gas prices are high?  Did all of the transit systems in the country get together and decide to lie about their numbers?  Get real.

While we’re at it, here is an even more common and widely perpetuated myth regarding transit.  Over and over, I hear something along the lines of, “No one really rides buses at all.  Every time a bus comes through my neighborhood, it’s pretty much empty.”

Do I really have to explain how a bus route works?  Guess so.  Well, people basically get picked up near their homes and dropped off at work or school.  Later, buses return people from work or school back to their neighborhood.  If you live near the edge of town, then you are at the end of the line (or the beginning, depending upon how you look at it.)

During the day in my neighborhood, people seem to be waiting on every other corner when the bus is about to come.  But, the buses aren’t full out here, and there’s no reason they should be until they pick up everyone else on the way into town.

In the recent past, I have ridden the bus that goes from my corner into the heart of town.  As I board the bus, many other riders have just been dropped off or get picked up along the way.  I can assure you that if you follow this bus all the way to the University of Illinois campus or to downtown Champaign, it will be very full.  That’s how it works.

 

What did you think of this article?

Liked
Disliked
No Opinion