Public transport 23894 225894981 2008-07-15T22:16:54Z Loodog 783435 /* United States */ replace with linearly scaled plot {{Redirect|Mass transit}} [[Image:Bangkok skytrain asoke 1.JPG|thumb|right|260px|[[Bangkok Skytrain]].]] {{tocright}} '''Public transport''', '''public transportation''', '''public transit''' or '''mass transit''' comprise all [[transport]] systems that transport members of the general public, usually charging set fares. While the above terms are generally taken to include [[Rail transport|rail]] and [[bus]] services, wider definitions might include scheduled [[airline]] services, [[ferry|ferries]], [[taxicab]] services etc. A further restriction that is sometimes applied is that transit should occur in continuously shared vehicles, which would exclude taxis that are not shared-ride taxis. Public transport is usually regulated as a [[common carrier]] and is usually configured to provide scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-[[reservation]] basis, although [[share taxis]] provide an ad-hoc form of flexible public transport, and [[demand responsive transport]] provides a pre-bookable form of public shared transport. [[Taxicabs]] and other [[vehicles for hire]] are generally fully flexible. The majority of ''transit'' passengers are traveling within a local area or region between their homes and places of employment, shopping, or schools.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} ==In general== {{Refimprovesect|date=January 2008}} In many parts of the world private transport dominates; however, in places with public transport systems, and where private transport use is not practical or not affordable, or where the public transport is more practical or more desirable than the private alternatives, then it is used. Many towns and cities around the world are investing in public transport initiatives to increase the attractiveness and usage of public transport. Public transport can offer significant advantages in areas with higher [[population density|population densities]] if it is efficiently utilised, due to its potentially smaller physical and environmental footprint per passenger. Road-based public transport risks being slower than private vehicles if it gets held up in general traffic congestion. Compounding upon this, scheduled transport vehicles have to make frequent stops to board additional passengers, and an individual trip may require one or more transfers. Routes are also often circuitous to increase the area serviced by the system. Therefore, transport authorities wishing to increase the attractiveness and use of public transport often respond by establishing or expanding dedicated or semi-dedicated public transport lanes, [[bus priority|traffic signal priority]], and other measures. The term [[rapid transit]], is often used to distinguish modes of transit possessing a dedicated right of way and having frequent, continuous service. Still, ''rapid'' transit often fails to live up to the name, as there are no firm guidelines as to how ''fast'' transit must be to be ''rapid''.<ref>[http://world.nycsubway.org/us/boston/silver.html|Discussion of speeds of ''bus rapid transit'' tunnel in Boston]</ref> [[Light rail]] is another form of public transit, comprising of a tram or trolley operating on a rail line. A popular public transport mode in the developing world, and increasingly in the western world, is the [[share taxi]] ([[mini-bus]], [[jitney]] etc) that run on flexible or semi-flexible routes. ==History== [[Image:Newtonbostoncar.jpg|thumb|left|Early trolley car in [[Newton, Massachusetts]].]] Conveyances for public hire are as old as the first [[ferry|ferries]], and the earliest public transport was water transport, for on land people walked or [[Animal-powered transport|rode an animal]]. This form of transport is part of [[Greek mythology]] &mdash; corpses in ancient Greece were always buried with a coin underneath their tongue to pay the ferryman [[Charon (mythology)|Charon]] to take them to [[Hades]]. Some historical forms of public transport are the [[stagecoach]], traveling a fixed route from inn to inn, and the [[horse-drawn boat]] carrying paying passengers, which was a feature of [[canal]]s from their 17th-century origins. The [[bus|omnibus]], the first organized public transit system within a city, appears to have originated in [[Nantes]], [[France]], in 1826 and was then introduced to [[London]] in July 1829.<ref>[http://www.knowledgeoflondon.com/buses.html The London Omnibus<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Modern public transport== Public transportation can usefully be classified in a variety of ways:- By the type of area served: * Larger urban areas with multiple interconnected transport modes, probably including metro/underground, bus, taxi, tram and ferry and complex transport interchanges * Smaller urban areas often using buses and taxis and simple interchanges * Rural areas typically relying more on [[buses]] and [[taxis]] and [[share taxis]] * Inter-urban and regional transport, often based on the train, coach and the plane * Long haul destinations, normally using the plane. Alternatively by the required infrastructure (Road, rail, water and air), or by the scheduling method (fixed timetable or not). Alternatively by the infrastructure requirement: * Road [[Concrete roads]] * Rail * Water * Air * Cable/continuous * Off road [[dirt road]] ===Road=== [[Image:Bush taxi minibus type.jpg|thumb|Bush taxi]] * Scheduled Shared Vehicle: including [[Bus#Types of bus service|Bus]], [[Bus rapid transit]], [[electric bus|Electric Bus]], [[Coach (vehicle)|Motor Coach]], [[Transit bus]] and [[Trolleybus]] * Chauffered Shared Flexible Route: [[Share taxi]] (including [[Bush taxi]], [[colectivo]], [[Combi]], [[Jeepney]], [[Jitney]], [[Matatu]], [[maxi-taxi]], [[minibus]]) , [[Paratransit]] (also known as Demand Responsive Transport) and [[Songthaew]] * Chauffered Exclusive Flexible Route: [[Vehicle for hire]]: including [[Auto rickshaw]], [[Hackney cab]], [[Limousine]], [[Rickshaw]], [[Taxicab]] and [[Velotaxi]] * Shared self-drive: [[Vanpool]] and [[Carpool]] * Short Duration un-chauffeured Vehicle Hire : including [[Carsharing]] (known as Car Clubs in the UK) and [[Community bicycle program]] ===Rail=== {{Main|Rapid transit}} [[Image:London Underground Interior Jubilee line.jpg|thumb|[[London Underground]] [[Jubilee Line]].]] [[Image:San Diego Green Line SDSU.jpg|thumb|[[San Diego Trolley]] (light rail) at [[San Diego State University]] Transit Center in [[San Diego]], [[California]].]] * [[Automated guideway transit]] (AGT), also called [[people mover]] * [[Cable car (railway)|Cable car]] on rails, used in cities, a [[streetcar]] ([[tram]]) pulled by a cable * Cable car on rails, used in mountains. {{see|Funicular}} * [[Rack railway]] (or rack and pinion railway) * Elevated railroad, such as the [[Chicago 'L']] * [[Light rail]] a tram-like system with no significant sections of the route shared with cars or pedestrians, such as the [[San Diego Trolley]] or the [[St. Louis MetroLink]] * [[Magnetic levitation train]] (Maglev) * [[Rapid transit|Metro]] (also known as 'subway' or 'underground') **[[Rubber-tired metro]] **[[Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit|Advanced Rapid Transit]] * [[Monorail]] * [[Train]], including [[commuter train]] and [[high-speed rail]] * [[Tram]] (tramway or streetcar) ===Water=== [[Image:Halifax ferry.JPG|thumb|[[Metro Transit (Halifax)|Metro Transit]] ferry, [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]]. Fare is $2.00 [[Canadian dollar|CAD]]. Each vessel carries 400 people.]] * [[Ferry]], including [[hydrofoil]], [[catamaran]] and [[hovercraft]] * [[Water taxi]] * [[Sea bus]] ===Air=== * [[Airliner]] ===Sloped or vertical=== [[Image:Ascensor Artilleria in Valparaíso.jpg|thumb|The "Artillería" (Artillery) ''funicular'' line in [[Valparaíso, Chile|Valparaíso]], a city which relies on vast network of centenarian funiculars for its steep and numerous slopes.]] * [[Aerial tramway]] or the similar [[Gondola lift]] and the more basic [[Aerial lift]] are vehicles suspended from aerial cables * [[Chairlift]] * [[Conveyor transport]] (term includes escalators and horizontal or slightly inclined moving sidewalk - "Travolator") * [[Escalator]] * [[Elevator]] or lift * [[Funicular]], used in mountains, tram-like vehicle on rails pulled by a cable up and down a very steep slope. * [[Gondola lift]] Some of these types are often not for use by the general public, e.g. elevators in offices and apartment buildings, buses for personnel or school children, etc. ===Transport Interchanges=== Of critical importance to attractive and successful public transport is the design of the transport interchanges where people access the system and interchange between different vehicles. These transport interchanges range for extensive multi-modal interchanges such as found at major airports to the humble bus stop. [[Image:GareDuNord20040914 CopyrightKaihsuTai.JPG|thumb|[[Gare du Nord]], [[Paris]].]] Stations are an important aspect of any public transportation system. Specific types include: * [[Airport]], [[Heliport]] * [[Airport terminal]] * [[Bus stop]] (including bus station, bus depot) * [[Metro station]] * [[Park and ride]] * [[Ship terminal]], [[ferry slip]], [[pier]] or [[wharf]] * [[Taxi stand]] * [[Terminal station]] * [[Train station|Railway station]] * [[Tram stop]] In addition one can alight from and usually board a taxi at any road where stopping is allowed. Some fixed-route buses allow getting on and off at suitable unmarked locations along that route, typically called a hail-and-ride section. In recent years, an increasing emphasis has been placed on intermodal transport facilities. These are intended to help passengers move from one mode (or form) of transportation to another. An intermodal station may service air, rail, and highway transportation for example. {{main|Intermodal passenger transport}} == Public transport vs. private cars== [[Image:ttc-night.jpg|thumb|right|175px|Toronto Transit Commission streetcar by night]] In the Western world, public transport and car advocates have been debating which mode of transport is the best with considerable differences between Europe, Asia and the United States for both historical and cultural reasons. ''See also: [http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/sociology/cemore/word%20docs/urry-systemofautomobility.pdf The system of Automobility], [http://www.worldcarfree.net/resources/freesources/ideology.htm Social ideology of the motorcar], [[Transport in present-day nations and states]], [http://www.worldcarfree.net/ World Car Free Network], [[List of car-free places]] ===Europe=== {{Refimprovesect|date=January 2008}} [[Nordic countries]] have subsidized public transport. Sweden has created the ''Länstrafik'' system through state subsidies to offer mass transport services to places where it the [[private sector]] would not otherwise provide it because it would be unprofitable. In Finland, public transport is most extensive in Helsinki. Like Sweden, there is subsidized public transport in Finland's cities and countryside. [[United Kingdom]] bus usage has been rising nationally since about 1990 (although it has actually fallen by 30% in Scotland, 28% in Wales, and 22% in non-metropolitan areas in England).<ref>[http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/trends/current/section3pubtran.pdf Section 1: Roads, Vehicles and Congestion<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In [[England]], the number of bus journeys in 2006/07 was 12% less than it was in 1985/86, although London has seen bus journeys increase by 75% over the same period. Rail journeys increased by 53% between 1980 and 2006/007 in England, whilst [[London Underground]] journeys increased by 86% over that period.<ref>[http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/trends/current/section3pubtran.pdf Section 1: Roads, Vehicles and Congestion<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> France has built an extensive [[TGV]] network, built [[light rail]], reassigned road lanes from cars to light transport in city centres and car usage and its social status has decreased there [http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3244,36-956566@51-956673,0.html]. Germany's [[AIRail Service]] has even replaced some airline routes. ===North America=== ====United States==== {{Original research|date=May 2008}} Most cities in the United States were built around the car, and in many places public transportation is now almost non-existent, even in large cities, with only a few cities where public transportation is in good condition, primarily in the Northeast. Many public transportation systems that existed prior to domination of the car were dismantled by the emergent car industry in a move came to be known as the [[Great American Streetcar Scandal]]; GM managed to rip out over 100 streetcar systems nationwide by 1950. Antitrust investigations only began to take place after the fact.<ref>[http://www-tech.mit.edu/V114/N1/hove.01o.html LA Quake Displays Need for Mass Transit - The Tech<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The notable exceptions are northeastern cities such as [[New York City]], [[Washington, DC]] and [[Boston]], all of which have more than 30% of workers commute by public transport.<ref>U.S. Census Bureau, American Commity Survey 2006</ref> New York City is the only city in America where over half of the people do not own an automobile. One out of three mass transportation riders and two out of three rail riders live in New York City and its suburbs. New York boasts two subway systems: the [[New York City Subway]], and the [[Port Authority Trans-Hudson|PATH]]. It is also served by three commuter railways, [[NJ Transit]], the [[Long Island Rail Road]], and [[Metro-North Railroad]]. The LIRR, NJ Transit, and [[Amtrak]] meet at [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Penn Station]], by far America's busiest intercity railway station. [[Image:USCommutePatterns2006.png|thumb|right|400px|Percentage of workers commuting by public transportation for U.S. cities with over 250,000 workers. Source for chart and data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2006, Table S0802]] [[Image:Transitusage.jpg|thumb|right|430px|Mean commute travel time for U.S. cities with over 250,000 workers. Source for chart and data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2006, Table S0802]] {| class="sortable wikitable" |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" ! style="width:150px" | City<br> !! No. of Workers<br> !! % Public Transport<br> !! % Drive Alone<br> !! Mean Travel<br>Time (Mins)<br> |- |New York City||align="right"|3,597,547||align="right"|54.24%||align="right"|23.58%||align="right"|39.0 |- |Chicago||align="right"|1,209,122||align="right"|25.38%||align="right"|52.57%||align="right"|33.4 |- |Philadelphia||align="right"|550,988||align="right"|26.43%||align="right"|50.75%||align="right"|31.4 |- |Los Angeles||align="right"|1,721,778||align="right"|10.97%||align="right"|67.28%||align="right"|29.2 |- |Washington, DC||align="right"|284,007||align="right"|38.97%||align="right"|35.43%||align="right"|29.2 |- |San Francisco||align="right"|394,646||align="right"|30.29%||align="right"|40.47%||align="right"|29.0 |- |Baltimore||align="right"|258,373||align="right"|19.55%||align="right"|57.94%||align="right"|28.2 |- |Boston||align="right"|286,969||align="right"|31.60%||align="right"|39.39%||align="right"|27.7 |- |Houston||align="right"|953,116||align="right"|5.22%||align="right"|72.32%||align="right"|26.4 |- |Las Vegas||align="right"|260,821||align="right"|4.79%||align="right"|76.97%||align="right"|26.4 |- |Detroit||align="right"|255,809||align="right"|7.09%||align="right"|72.95%||align="right"|26.0 |- |Phoenix||align="right"|674,096||align="right"|3.68%||align="right"|72.74%||align="right"|25.4 |- |San Jose||align="right"|431,910||align="right"|3.92%||align="right"|76.66%||align="right"|25.4 |- |Dallas||align="right"|556,494||align="right"|4.39%||align="right"|73.68%||align="right"|25.3 |- |Seattle||align="right"|318,402||align="right"|17.79%||align="right"|55.15%||align="right"|25.2 |- |Fort Worth||align="right"|295,882||align="right"|1.67%||align="right"|79.48%||align="right"|24.9 |- |Charlotte||align="right"|334,129||align="right"|3.40%||align="right"|75.24%||align="right"|24.3 |- |Denver||align="right"|272,493||align="right"|7.44%||align="right"|69.95%||align="right"|23.8 |- |San Antonio||align="right"|555,115||align="right"|3.46%||align="right"|77.85%||align="right"|23.4 |- |Portland||align="right"|276,465||align="right"|12.64%||align="right"|60.61%||align="right"|23.2 |- |Jacksonville||align="right"|378,297||align="right"|1.82%||align="right"|77.97%||align="right"|23.1 |- |Nashville||align="right"|269,710||align="right"|1.59%||align="right"|81.44%||align="right"|23.1 |- |San Diego||align="right"|623,801||align="right"|4.10%||align="right"|74.67%||align="right"|22.4 |- |Austin||align="right"|379,540||align="right"|4.20%||align="right"|72.95%||align="right"|21.9 |- |Memphis||align="right"|268,695||align="right"|2.93%||align="right"|78.14%||align="right"|21.8 |- |Indianapolis||align="right"|368,870||align="right"|2.11%||align="right"|82.07%||align="right"|21.4 |- |Louisville||align="right"|254,627||align="right"|3.67%||align="right"|81.38%||align="right"|21.2 |- |Columbus||align="right"|349,329||align="right"|3.47%||align="right"|81.00%||align="right"|20.6 |- |Oklahoma City||align="right"|253,703||align="right"|0.93%||align="right"|79.58%||align="right"|19.5 |} In the 2000s, many US cities realized that widespread car usage caused serious problems, such as [[urban sprawl]].{{Or|date=May 2008}} In response to this, cities have begun to make their city centers more enticing, have canceled [[expressways]] projects and restored or improved public transport and commissioned new rail transit projects. Public transportation ridership in the US has risen 31% while overall population only increased 15%<ref>http://www.publictransportation.org/facts/#hw02 PublicTransportation.org</ref> since 1995 – more than the same period's increase in roadway vehicle miles or airline passenger miles and several U.S. states that were considered bastions of highway-only thinking, such as Colorado<ref>[http://www.apta.com/links/state_local/co.cfm APTA: Colorado Transit Links<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=451&Itemid=1653 City of Boulder, Colorado - Transit System Plan<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and Utah (see [[Utah Transit Authority]]), had approved major public transportation investments by 2005.{{Or|date=May 2008}} For intercity transportation within the United States, the car and the [[airplane]] dominate except in the [[Northeast Corridor]],{{Dubious|date=June 2008}} a densely populated string of cities, which has the busiest train line in the USA, including the popular [[Acela Express]] train service operated by [[Amtrak]]. Elsewhere trains and buses (such as the [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]]) are often only used by those with no other alternative.{{Or|date=May 2008}} Detractors point out that in investment in public transport in the USA has had almost no impact on the number of drivers, traffic, or associated sprawl, even at large expense to taxpayers. <ref>[http://www.heritage.org/Research/UrbanIssues/bg1721.cfm The Contribution of Highways and Transit to Congestion Relief: A Realistic View<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ''See also:'' [[Transportation in New York City]], [[Transportation of Los Angeles]], [[Pacific Electric Railway]], [http://modeshift.org/ Modeshift], [[List of United States light rail systems by ridership]], [[List of United States rapid transit systems by ridership]], [[List of United States commuter rail systems by ridership]], [[List of United States local bus agencies by ridership]] ====Canada==== Canadian cities generally have higher transit usage than their American counterparts. For instance, in 2007 [[Toronto, Ontario]] (metropolitan population 5 million) had 772 million transit riders{{Fact|date=July 2008}}, whereas [[Boston]] had 371 million and [[Philadelphia]] had 313 million. The difference is even more pronounced for medium-sized cities. In 2007 [[Calgary, Alberta]] and [[Edmonton, Alberta]] (metro population 1 million each) had public transit riderships of 144 million and 98 million respectively, while comparably sized [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] located due south of them had less than 36 million riders.<ref> {{cite web | title = Public Transportation Ridership Statistics | publisher = American Public Transportation Association | date = 2008 | url = http://www.apta.com/research/stats/ridership/#A6 | accessdate = 2008-05-26}} </ref>{{Failed verification|date=July 2008}} However, Canadian cities have significantly lower capital spending (less than US$60 per capita, versus US$50-$100 for American cities).<ref> {{cite paper | author = Kenworthy, Jeff and Laube, Felix | title = Millennium Cities Database for Sustainable Transport | publisher = International Association of Public Transport | date= 1995 | url = www.uitp.com | accessdate = 2006-12-14 }} </ref> As a result of lower government funding, Canadian cities have to recover a much higher share of their costs out of operating revenues. This lack of funding may explain why there is resistance to the high capital costs of rail systems and there are only a few light rail systems in Canada. ====Mexico==== [[Mexico City]] has a public transit use rate that is higher than any U.S. or Canadian city and its use of private automobiles is similar to that of New York City. In 2007, in the combined metropolitan area of the [[Valley of Mexico]] which encompasses the [[Mexican Federal District|Federal District]] as well as portions of the [[State of Mexico]], of the 22 million daily trips made, 67%, or 14.8 million, were made on public transport. Only 26%, or 5.8 million, were made by private automobile. <ref> {{cite web | title = Censo Origen Destino 2007 | publisher = INEGI | date = 2008 | url = http://www.metropoli.org.mx/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3421 | accessdate = 2008-07-08}} </ref> ===Asia=== {{Unreferenced|date=May 2008}}In Asia the population density is so high that widespread car usage is very hard to sustain. Japan, a very rich country, has known this for decades and its citizens use rail transit very heavily and it is very costly and difficult to use a car there. The same is true for Singapore, where one has to purchase a [[certificate of entitlement]] to purchase a car. China has historically used a lot of bicycles and mopeds, but car usage is growing quickly and is causing a lot of problems like traffic jams and pollution, but there are numerous rail transit projects under construction in China today. ===Africa=== In most African nations, traffic tends to be less problematic. Due to low income levels, transport options may be limited to walking, animal transport, [[share taxi]], and public transport where it exists. Where income levels are higher, traffic problems can arise. The most congested city in Africa is Cairo, where traffic jams can last many hours.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} ==Economic impact== {{Refimprovesect|date=January 2008}} {{globalize/USA}} [[Image:TODatAlwifeStation2.agr.jpg|thumb|Development generated since 1985, when [[Alewife (MBTA station)|Alewife station]] opened in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]].]] One of the challenges to public transport is having a sufficient density of desired destinations within walking distance of a transit stop. Because this is unlikely in any suburban location that hitherto was served only by automobile, it is often advantageous to intentionally develop within close proximity to public transportation. Such [[transit-oriented development]] can both improve the usefulness and efficiency of the public transit system as well as result in increased business for commercial developments. Well-designed transit systems can have a positive effect on real estate prices. The Hong Kong metro [[MTR]] generates a profit by redeveloping land around its stations. Much public opposition to new transit construction can be based on the concern about the impact on neighborhoods of this new economic development. Few localities have the ability to [[Eminent domain|seize and reassign development rights]] to a private transit operator, as Hong Kong has done. The economic costs of a congested transport system, be it a public transport system or a private car based transport system can be measured and can seriously detract from the attractiveness of an area for business and for residents [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7789491/]. Detractors{{Who|date=January 2008}} point out that at times, transit unions have staged strikes, which have the potential to bring a public-transit led city to a virtual standstill, that public transit rarely covers its operating costs through fares and that no transit agency in the U.S. has achieved this for several decades [http://www.texaspolicy.com/pdf/2000-veritas-1-2-transitextend.pdf] (as of 2003, U.S. transit operators obtained only 32.6% of their operating funding from fares, the rest coming primarily from government subsidies [http://apta.com/research/stats/fundop/opfund.cfm]). This may be a misleading statement, since part of a freeway's "operating" cost, that of owning and maintaining vehicles, is tacitly covered by its private users. Also, many metro systems (such as the New York Subway) are mandated by the city government to keep their fares low <ref>[http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/20/spitzer-calls-for-mta-to-reduce-fare-increase/ ''Spitzer Directs M.T.A. to Keep Base Subway and Bus Fare at $2'', New York Times, Sewell Chan, November 20, 2007]</ref>, and it is feasible that profitability could be achieved if they were free to set peak fares at (much higher) market prices. ==Environmental impact== {{Refimprovesect|date=January 2008}} {{globalize/USA}} Emissions from road vehicles account for over 50% of U.S. [[air pollution]].{{Fact|date=March 2008}} Scientists estimate that public transportation already reduces emissions of carbon dioxide by over 7.4 million tons annually.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} If Americans were to use public transportation at equivalent rates as Europeans, scientists estimate that U.S. dependence on imported oil would decrease by more than 40% and that carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by more than 25%.<ref>www.fypower.org/pdf/RES171664_shapiro.pdf</ref><ref>[http://www.apta.com/media/releases/earth_day.cfm APTA: Public Transportation Is Vital For A Cleaner Environment<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Studies have shown that there is a strong inverse correlation between [[population density|urban population density]] and [[World energy resources and consumption|energy consumption per capita]], and that public transport could play a key role in increasing urban population densities, and thus reduce travel distances and fossil fuel consumption.<ref> {{cite book |last= Newman |first= Peter |coauthors= Jeffrey R. Kenworthy |title= Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence |year= 1999 |publisher= Island Press |isbn= 1559636602 }}</ref> In the UK, household use of private vehicles accounted for 9% of all man-made emissions of greenhouse gases in 2002, up from 8% in 1990, whilst the transport industry (including freight) accounted for 12% in 2002, up from 8% in 1990.<ref>{{cite web |title=Greenhouse gas emissions from transport |publisher=UK National Statistics |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_environment/transport_report.pdf |accessdate=2008-03-19}}</ref> ''See also'' [[Fuel efficiency in transportation]] ==Social Inclusion== {{Refimprovesect|date=January 2008}} {{globalize/USA}} An important social role played by public transport is to ensure that all members of society are able to travel, not just those with a driving license and access to a vehicle. '''Transit-for-all''' is the name given to a USA movement arguing greater investment in public transportation.<ref>[http://modeshift.org/?p=79 Modeshift » Blog Archive » George Lakoff and the Mode Shift<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Advocates of transit-for-all initiatives argue that the approximately 70 billion dollars currently assigned to subsidizing cheap oil should be reinvested in public transportation. Supporters of transit-for-all initiatives claim there are three main benefits to such a strategic realignment of resources: first, it will benefit the environment and, therefore, the nation’s health; second, it will increase the [[economic mobility]] of citizens currently marginalized because of their geographic isolation and revitalize neighborhoods by reconnecting them to their surroundings; third, it will decrease American dependence on [[foreign oil]], thereby improving U.S. [[national security]]. <ref>[http://publictransportation.org/facts/ Public Transportation: Wherever Life Takes You<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>http://www.apta.com/media/releases/070312_ten_billion.cfm http://www.enewsbuilder.net/capmet/e_article000117869.cfm</ref> [[Car dependency]] is a name given by policy makers to places where the those without access to a private vehicle do not have access to independent mobility, this group includes the young, the old, the poor, people with poor or no sight, Epilepsy as well as those banned from driving. See also: [http://www.austrans.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=72 Reducing Car Dependency in Australia], [http://www.fiafoundation.com/policy/mobility/policy_monitor/pm_01022006.html Car Dependency in the UK], [http://www.modeshift.org/ Modeshift] ==Funding== {{Refimprovesect|date=January 2008}} [[Image:Ônibus hibrido.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Diesel-electric bus in [[São Paulo]].]] [[Image:Sdrtsdfsdfsdfsdsdsdsdsd.jpg|thumb|A Community Transit bus located in Lynnwood, WA]] [[Image:VOTC9218.jpg|right|thumb|A Volvo [[articulated bus]] in contract service for [[Virginia Commonwealth University]] in [[Richmond, Virginia]], operated by [[Virginia Overland Transportation]], an [[urban-suburban bus line]], in 2003]] Public transport systems generally rely on government subsidy to supplement fare collections, though a few systems are run as unsubsidized commercial enterprises or are entirely paid for by governments. The percentage of revenue from passenger charges is known as the [[farebox recovery ratio]]. Transit systems earn incidental revenue from their unused real estate, in the form of parking fees, leasing space to shops and vendors, [[advertising]], and lately, leasing their tunnels and rights-of-way to carry [[fiber optic]] communication lines. Some systems are owned and operated by a government agency; other transportation services may be commercial, but receive greater benefits from the government compared to a normal company, e.g., * direct payments to run unprofitable services. * government bailouts if the company is likely to collapse (often applied to airlines). * tax advantages, e.g., [[aviation fuel]] is typically not taxed. * reduction of competition through licensing schemes (often applied to taxi and airline services.) * allowing use of state-owned infrastructure without payment or for less than cost-price (may apply for railways). One reason many cities spend large sums on their public transport systems is that heavy automobile traffic congests city streets and causes [[air pollution]]. It is believed that public transport systems alleviate this, but reducing car traffic is not always assured. Some city councils fund public transport infrastructure to promote [[business]] and economic growth, or to regenerate deprived ares of the city. Examples of public transport planned according to this philosophy are the [[Docklands Light Rail]] and [[Crossrail]] projects in [[London]]. Some government officials believe that use of taxpayer capital to fund mass transit will ultimately save taxpayer money in other ways, and therefore, state-funded mass transit is a benefit to the taxpayer. Since lack of mass transit results in more traffic, pollution, and road construction to accommodate more vehicles, all costly to taxpayers, providing mass transit will therefore alleviate these costs. Another reason for subsidies for public transit are the provision of mobility to those who reject its use on convenience, environmental or safety grounds and those who cannot afford or are physically or legally incapable of using an automobile. ===Hong Kong=== In [[Hong Kong]], [[MTR Corporation Limited]] and [[KCR Corporation]] are given the rights to utilise lands near stations, depots, or tracks for property development. Profits from land development cover the partial cost of construction, but not operation, of the urban rail systems. Similar arrangements are available to the ferry piers of franchised ferry service providers. Franchised bus operators are exempted from paying tax on diesel. ===United States=== {{main|Transportation in the United States}} In the [[United States]], operations of most public [[transit (transportation)|transit]] services are financially subsidized by local and state governments, who provide [[matching funds]] to receive up to 80% capital grant aid from the [[Federal Transit Administration]] (FTA), an agency of the [[U.S. Department of Transportation]] {{Fact|date=June 2007}}. This agency administers programs which provide funding and support services to state and local agencies which operate a wide range of public transportation services. These include local urban and suburban [[bus]] and [[paratransit]] services, [[light rail]], [[heritage streetcar system]]s, [[cable car (railway)|cable car]], [[Rapid transit|subway]], [[rapid transit]], and [[commuter rail (North America)|commuter rail]] services. Special rural transportation programs of the FTA and some state governments provide assistance for bus and para-transit services in some areas. [[Transportation in New York City|New York City]] has the most extensive transit system in the country, operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority [http://www.mta.info/index.html MTA]. About one in every three users of mass transit in the United States and two-thirds of the nation's rail riders live in the New York City Metropolitan Area. [http://www.mta.info/mta/network.htm MTA Facts][[Arlington, Texas]] (pop. 360,000) is the largest city in the United States without conventional fixed-route public transportation. (Arlington operates a demand responsive paratransit service( [http://www.ci.arlington.tx.us/handitran/ Handitran].)) ==Ticket systems==<!-- This section is linked from [[Fare]] --> [[Image:OctopusFrontNew.jpg|thumb|Adult octopus fare card used in [[Hong Kong]].]] [[Image:commutation tickets of Japanese railways.jpg|thumb|Commuter tickets of [[Japan]]ese railways.]] [[Image:nyc transit authority token.png|thumb|120px|[[New York City]] subway token, now obsolete.]] {{seealso|Fare|Category:Fare collection systems|Train ticket}} Different arrangements for fare collection are in use. Depending on the type, fares: *must be bought in advance; one cannot physically enter the [[railway platform]], vehicle, etc., without passing a [[turnstile]], fare gate or ticket inspector (usually found in a metro). *must be bought in advance as a voucher for a user-determined amount of money, which is encoded on a ticket or [[smartcard]] by electronic, magnetic, or optical means. A fare is deducted automatically each time the ticket is used &mdash; either just upon system entry, or at both entry and exit where the fare is variable by distance. The latter is often found in newer systems. *must be bought in advance, checked by a [[Conductor (transportation)|conductor]] or [[Revenue Protection Inspector]] etc., upon entry (usually found on buses in North America and Western Europe, and on commuter rail systems). *must be bought in advance, checked randomly by a [[Ticket controller (transportation)|ticket controller]] ([[proof-of-payment]] system, usually found in Europe and occasionally the United States). *can be bought both in advance or during the ride, with the fare sometimes being higher in the latter case (see also [[Conductor (transportation)|Conductor]]); in this case purchase in advance is often possible at major stations, but usually not at a typical tram or [[bus stop]]. Passengers may be issued with a [[paper]] ticket, metal or plastic [[Token (numismatics)|token]], or an electronic card. ===Multi-use tickets===<!-- This section is linked from [[Discounts and allowances]] --> Special tickets (other than for a single ride at the regular price) include: *passes for unlimited travel within a period of time, but shorter than season tickets. *passes for unlimited travel during a given number of days that can be chosen within a longer period of time (e.g. 8 days within a month). *multi-ride tickets. *discount tickets valid for someone with a discount pass, etc. *[[season ticket]]s. *Citycards and Sightseeing Passes. Free public transport tickets are included. Passes may be for a particular route (in both directions), or for a whole network. ===Electronic fare card=== Electronic fare cards are designed to be read by a [[computer]] input device and include: *[[Magnetic stripe card]] &mdash; privileges and fare remaining are magnetically encoded on the card after each use. **Paper tickets with magnetic stripes (adopted by a few [[rapid transit]] systems like [[BART]] before plastic magnetic stripe cards went into widespread use). **ATICard &mdash; used in [[Puerto Rico]]. **[[Common Stored Value Ticket]] &mdash; formerly used in [[Hong Kong]]. **[[MetroCard (New York City)|MetroCard]] &mdash; used in [[New York City]]. **[[Toronto Transit Commission fares|Metropass]] &mdash; used in [[Toronto]]. **[[Passnet]] &mdash; used in [[Greater Tokyo Area]], gradually replaced by smartcards. **[[Chicago Transit Authority|CTA]] [[Transit Card]] &mdash; used in [[Chicago]]. **[[TravelTen]] &mdash; used on buses in [[Sydney]]. **[[TravelPass]] &mdash; used on buses, ferries and trains in [[Sydney]]. **[[Miami-Dade Transit|Metropass]] &mdash; used on buses and trains in [[Miami]]. *[[Smartcard]] &mdash; typically credit card sized with an embedded [[microprocessor]]. Contactless cards are preferred for transit fare collection because they speed riders through fare gates. Examples include: **1996 [[Upass]] in [[Seoul Metropolitan Area]] **1997 [[Octopus card]] in [[Hong Kong]], [[Touch n Go]] in [[Klang Valley]] (rest of [[Malaysia]] 1998) **1999 [[SmarTrip]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] **2000 [[Chicago Card]] in [[Chicago]] (initially publicly tested as "[[Chicago Transit Authority|CTA]] SmartCard"), [[Mybi]] in [[Busan]],[[Republic of Korea]], [[EasyRider]] in [[Nottingham]] student cards from both universities can also be used **2001 [[Suica]] in [[Greater Tokyo Area]], [[Navigo card]] in [[Paris]], [[EZ-Link|EZ-Link card]] in [[Singapore]] **2002 [[EasyCard]] in [[Taipei]], [[TransLink (San Francisco Bay Area)|TransLink]] in [[San Francisco Bay Area]], [[Matkakortti]] in [[Helsinki]], [[Andante ticket|Andante]] in [[Porto]] (first fully contactless system, even for occasional riders) **2003 [[ICOCA]] in [[Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto]] **2004 [[Bilhete Único]] in [[São Paulo]], [[Oyster card]] in [[London]], [[T-money]] in [[Seoul Metropolitan Area]] **<s>2005 [[Tcard]] in [[Sydney]] (for schoolchildren from 2005, trial only for general public)</s> (No longer in operation see [[Tcard]].) **2006 [[Smart Pass]] in [[Bangkok]], [[TOICA]] in [[Nagoya]], [http://www.itsmarta.com/breeze.htm Breeze] in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], [[SmartRider]] in [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], [[CharlieCard]] in [[Boston]], [[OV-Chipkaart]] in [[Rotterdam]] (rest of the [[Netherlands]] in 2008) **2007 [[Go-To Card]] in [[Minneapolis-St. Paul]], [[myki]] in [[Melbourne, Australia|Melbourne]], [[Presto card]] in [[Greater Toronto Area]] (to be completed in 2010) **2008 [[Go Card]] issue by [[TransLink (South East Queensland)]] is available for [[Brisbane]] and the rest of South-East Queensland. The smart card can be use on [[Citytrain|train]], bus and [[CityCat|ferry]] networks; [[Rejsekort]] in [[Zealand]] (rest of [[Denmark]] in 2009); OPUS in the province of [[Quebec]] (to be completed in 2009); [[Transit Access Pass]] in [[Los Angeles County]] *[[Mobile payment]] &mdash; uses a passenger's [[mobile phone|cell phone]] as a payment device. ** [[Short message service|SMS]] or [[Java Platform, Micro Edition|Java]] based systems are present in a few cities in Europe, as supplementary fare charging systems. **2005 SMS Ticket service for [[KTX Family Card]] &mdash; [[South Korea]] **2006 [[Mobile Suica]] and other [[Osaifu-Keitai]] (phones with embedded microprocessors like smartcards) compliant applications, such as [[IC e-card|Mobile e-card]] in [[Japan]], [[T-money|Mobile T-money]] ===Free systems=== '''Free''' or '''Zero-fare''' public transport services are funded in full by means other than collecting a [[fare]] from passengers. {{main|Zero-fare public transport}} Zero-fare services may be funded by national, regional or local [[government]] through [[taxation]] or by commercial [[sponsorship]] by businesses. They usually use relatively small vehicles such as [[buses]] and [[trams]]. Several mid-size European cities and many smaller towns around the world have converted their '''entire bus networks''' to zero-fare. {{seealso|Category:towns and cities with zero-fare transport}} Local zero-fare '''shuttles''' or '''inner-city loops''' are far more common than city-wide systems. {{seealso|Category:towns and cities with limited zero-fare transport}} ===Free travel pass=== A '''Free travel pass''' is the right of a certain class of [[passenger]]s to use a [[public transport]] service without paying a [[fare]] or presenting a [[Ticket (admission)|ticket]]. They may need to present an [[identification card]]. {{main|Free travel pass}} The following types of passenger often receive free travel on transport services: * [[students]] * elderly persons * children * [[employees]] * persons with physical or mental disabilities ==Social and Culture Issues== ===Food & drink === Longer distance public transport sometimes sell food and drink on board, and/or have a dedicated [[buffet|buffet car]] and/or [[Restaurant#Dining car|dining car]]. [[Image:NoFoodOrDrinkOnMetro.jpg|right|thumb|No Food Or Drink On Metro, [[Washington, D.C.]]]] However, some urban transport systems forbid the consumption of food, drink, or even chewing gum when riding on public transport. Sometimes only types of food are forbidden with more risk of making the vehicles dirty, e.g. ice creams and French fries. === Noise === In addition to talking to each other, many passengers use their [[cell phone]] in public transport. Although usually not allowed, sometimes music is played aloud. Some rail operators provide "quiet cars" where also talking is not allowed. On trains and buses in [[Hong Kong]], buses and trains provide free TV. Buses provide gossip and hi-tech news, while trains provide news ([[Newsline Express]]) === Safety === Despite the occasional highly publicized incident, the vast majority of modern public transport systems are well designed and patrolled and generally have low crime rates{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Good lighting, CCTV, mirrors to see round blind corners and ensuring that there are always a good number of other people around can be used to increase safety and create a feeling of safety. Most transit operators have developed methods to discourage people from using their facilities for overnight shelter. Critics of public transportation systems often claim they attract "undesirable elements" and tell of violent criminals preying on passengers and homeless people sleeping on trains and relieving themselves in public areas.<ref>Achs, Nicole. "Roadblocks to public transit: for reasons ranging from prejudice to pragmatism, many suburbanites are fighting tooth and nail to keep mass transit out of their neighborhoods." ''American City & County'' 106, no. 1 (January 1991): 28-32.</ref>. On a few occasions, passengers have reacted by taking the law into their own hands (as in the notorious 1984 case of the "subway vigilante", [[Bernhard Goetz]]). When compared to the private car however, public transport is a very safe form of transport in terms of deaths per passenger km {{Fact|date=March 2008}}. By way of contrast, [[car accidents]] as estimated to cause some 1 million fatalities per year world wide. In the United States alone there were 42,643 automobile accident fatalities in 2003, almost three times the total number of murders (14,408). ''See also:'' [http://www.roadpeace.org RoadPeace] UK National charity for road crash victims === Sleeping === [[Image:HynesConvCtrBusShelter.agr.jpg|thumb|Bus shelter with seats designed to deter sleeping.]] In the era when long distance trips took several days, [[lodging|sleeping accommodations]] were an essential part of transportation. Today, most airlines and long-distance trains offer reclining seats and many provide pillows and blankets for overnight travelers. Better sleeping arrangements are commonly offered for a premium fare (e.g. [[first class travel|first class]], [[business class]], etc.) and include [[sleeping car]]s on overnight trains, larger private cabins on ships and airplane seats that convert into beds. Budget-conscious tourists sometimes plan their trips using overnight train or bus trips in lieu of paying for an hotel. The ability to get additional sleep on the way to work is attractive to many commuters using public transportation. Occasionally, a local transit route with a long overnight segment and which accepts inexpensive multi-use passes will acquire a reputation as a "moving hotel" for people with limited funds. Most transportation agencies actively discourage this. For this and other reasons passengers are often required to exit the vehicle at the end of the line; they can board again in the same or another vehicle, after some waiting. Also, even a low fare often deters the poorest individuals, including [[homeless]] people. One example of the moving homeless shelter phenomenon is the [[Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority]] (VTA) bus line 22 [http://www.vta.org/schedules/SC_22.html] between [[Palo Alto, California]] and [[San Jose, California]] in the [[United States]]. It is often called "Hotel 22" or "Motel 22" by the homeless of [[Silicon Valley]].<ref>Jane Lii, "Refuge On The Road: Homeless Find Nighttime Haven &mdash; The No. 22 Bus From Menlo Park To San Jose", ''[[San Jose Mercury News]]'', [[9 January]] [[2000]], 1A.</ref><ref>Cathy Newman, "Silicon Valley: Inside the Dream Incubator", ''[[National Geographic]]'' 200, no. 6 (December 2001): 52-76. </ref>A pass for a night costs US$5.25 and $61.25 for a month, much less than a hotel, house or apartment. Another example is the interurban rail services operated by [[CityRail]] out of Sydney, Australia. Fairly comfortable trains operate between [[Sydney]] and [[Lithgow, New South Wales|Lithgow]] or [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]] during the night, trips of approximately 2½ hours. Age, Disability and Sole Parent pensioner excursion fares are [[Australian Dollar|AU$]]2.50 for an all-day ticket. The [[New York City Subway]] and [[Chicago 'L']], both which operate 24 hours per day, also see homeless people who sleep in the subway system, both in stations and on trains. ===Smoking=== In the United States, Canada, most of the EU, Australia and New Zealand, smoking is prohibited in all or some parts of most public transportation systems due to safety and health issues. Generally smoking isn't allowed on the actual buses and trains, while rules concerning stations and waiting platforms differ from system to system. The situation in other countries varies widely. ==Heritage transport systems around the world== Some means of rail-based public transport are also tourist attractions and/or well known landmarks in their own right. These include [[San Francisco]]'s famous [[cable car (railway)|cable cars]], the [[Mollibahn|Molli steam powered train]] in [[Bad Doberan]], the [[kusttram]] along the whole Flemish coast, the [[Schwebebahn Wuppertal]], the [[Seattle Monorail]], the [[Enoshima Electric Railway]] in Kamakura, Japan, [[Routemaster]] buses in central [[London]] and the [[Christchurch]] [[Tram]] ==Emerging technologies== * [[Dual mode transit]] * [[Personal rapid transit]] * [[Automated highway systems]] * [[Bus rapid transit]] * [[Maglev train|Maglev rapid transit]] ==See also== {{Portalpar|Sustainable development|Sustainable development.svg}} *[[Arranging models of public transport]] *[[Bus deregulation]] *[[International Union of Public Transport]] *[[New Mobility Agenda]] *[[Passenger Transport Executive]] *[[Public transport route planner]] *[[Public transport timetable]] *[[Quality Assurance in Public Transport]] *[[Shared transport]] *[[Transmodel]] *[[Transit-oriented development]] *[[Transport in present-day nations and states]] *[[Transit planner]] *[[Transit fares]] *[[Travel class]] *[[Utility cycling]] *[[Urban economics]] {{Modes of Public Transport}} == References == {{reflist}} == External links == * Transport In Goa [http://www.goatourist.co.uk/goa-travel-transport.html] {{commons|Public transport}} * [http://www.uitp.org UITP | International Association of Public Transport] * [http://www.eltis.org European Local Transport Information Service] ([[ELTIS]]) provides case studies concerning public transport as a local transport concept * [http://www.nautf.org NAUTF | North American Urban Transit Forum] * [http://www.archive.org/details/stevelermanGreatSpeechesandInterviews_SavePublicTransit Save Public Transit] Rally at the California State Capitol to stop funding cuts to public transit on June 17, 2008 [[Category:Public transport| ]] [[Category:Sustainable transport]] [[Category:Transportation planning]] [[Category:Transportation]] {{Link FA|pt}} [[cs:Veřejná doprava]] [[da:Offentlig transport]] [[de:Öffentlicher Verkehr]] [[es:Transporte público]] [[eo:Publika transporto]] [[fr:Transport en commun]] [[ko:대중교통]] [[io:Publika transporto]] [[id:Transportasi publik]] [[is:Almenningssamgöngur]] [[it:Trasporto pubblico]] [[he:תחבורה ציבורית]] [[lt:Viešasis transportas]] [[hu:Tömegközlekedés]] [[ms:Pengangkutan awam]] [[nl:Openbaar vervoer]] [[ja:公共交通機関]] [[no:Kollektivtrafikk]] [[nn:Kollektivtransport]] [[pt:Transporte público]] [[ru:Общественный транспорт]] [[scn:Trasportu pùbbricu]] [[sl:Javni prevoz]] [[fi:Julkinen liikenne]] [[sv:Kollektivtrafik]] [[vi:Giao thông công cộng]] [[vls:Oopnboar vervoer]] [[zh:公共交通]]