The Pros and Cons of Public Transportation  

Not all of us can afford the luxury of taxis and other private transportation means, so we resort to riding a public transportation. If you’re a student, using public transportation like trains and buses is a practical way of commuting from your home to your school. For those who doesn’t have a car, public transportation is a necessity. If you’re considering public transportation on your way to work, school or even another place, the following are its pros and cons.  

Pros:  

Cheaper 

One of the reasons why people prefer public transportation is because the fares are cheap especially if you’re traveling across town. If you’re a senior, disable or student, you will get discounted fares. You can save money and has especially if your commute is long. Even if you don’t have a discount on your fare, you’re still going to save some money.   

Convenient 

For some, taking trains or buses mean that you don’t have to suffer from being stuck in traffic. You also don’t have to worry about looking for a parking space in a crowded lot. Whether you’re going to school or work, you won’t spend minutes of looking for a vacant parking space. Buses and trains stop near major destinations, so if your work or school is just a walking distance, you can still make it on time.   

There is also added benefit if you’re a worker or student who pays for a parking pass. Most of the time, the cost of parking permits is $100 and above. Taking public transportation will eliminate that cost.   

Cons:  

However, you can’t have it all in public transportation. Since it’s public, expect that you’re going to in a space with a lot of people. The following are its disadvantages.   

Delays 

Buses and trains can delay, especially if something came up in their system. This means that if you’re riding a public transport, you have to be early to avoid delays. You should be at the stop few minutes before the bus or train arrives.   

Hassle 

Since buses and trains have respective schedule, it won’t be a guarantee that you can catch the exact schedule you want. Keeping track of the stop times could be a hassle especially if you live in a large city. To avoid such hassles from happening, you should get yourself a trip planner. There are applications now that let you enter your destination, then the system will show you the best routes calculated for you. This way, you’re going to pick out the route which is convenient for you.   

Less Privacy 

You are going to have less privacy when you ride a bus and train. You will be surrounded with people, which means that your personal space might be disturbed. If you’re a very private person, public transportation might not do you well.