Article by Steve Plotnick
I had become increasingly frustrated about the slow pace of change in this climate-threatening time, and under no fixed job schedule to cause undue stress over time constraints, I’ve signed the car title over to my wife, (not a small thing to ditch a BMW 5 series, lemme tell ya’) and hope to gain insights as to why we lag behind many advanced economies in adopting a strong, widely used public transit system.
I feel the exuberance of touring Europe again as a college student. I have walked more steps, enjoyed more relaxed reading and tunes, met more interesting and down-to-earth souls, and have been more intimate with the environs of Newport News and Richmond I never thought I’d truly enjoy.
There’s nothing like walking in the sunshine (or even light rain) and listening to YouTube or music, finding a cool new business, restaurant, or park, all the while knowing that I’m contributing no independent transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, am supporting public transportation infrastructure, learning about my community, and getting healthier! One month HRT “all you can ride” for Medicare eligible enrollee: $40. No lie.
Cellular technology with dedicated apps is a game changer as far as access and real time predictions of “where the bus is at” is concerned.
Moovit is an app that tracks and estimates time to travel using local public transit – to include the necessary walking time, distance, and direction between vehicle stops – featuring several options from origin to destinations within metro regions. The Israeli-created app features a database that includes cities in one hundred twenty countries and one hundred eighty U.S. cities.
Sure, it takes some planning. Yet with the Moovit app for local transit (in metro areas throughout the country) and the Wanderu app for more distant train and bus travel between cities (is flying really worth ruining Nature’s climate?), and an occasional Lyft when I’m rushed (bike on bus, and skateboard, should solve that latter expense), it is doable!
- These are free mobile apps that show the fastest, best routes based on real time information
- Put the car and gas money to better use, People
- Get healthier
- Experience freedom
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Excellent article! I think (and I’m guilty of this) laziness is probably the universal excuse for not using public transportation. Not only are we so dependent on our cars, we just don’t want to explore new ways of doing things.
Great article Steve. Each person who makes a change in old habits is contributing to lowering climate change. You go Steve!