Why do Americans drive their cars everywhere? Unfortunately, many areas in our country are built for them, not built for the comfort of people. Large parts of cities are zoned for single-family houses, for instance, meaning businesses and transit hubs probably aren’t within walking distance of home. When businesses are within walking distance, the way there is likely to be along a busy road full of high-speed cars, and the store is probably surrounded by a large parking lot. To make matters worse, many motorists aren’t even looking out for pedestrians. I’ve been cut off while in the crosswalk more than once. Trying to bike anywhere in these types of cities carries similar inconvenience and risk.
Probably because of these layout problems, public transportation is often ineffective and inconvenient. Personally, I had never taken a bus anywhere until I was in my mid-twenties. Like many areas in the US, my state doesn’t have a very comprehensive public transportation system. I always saw that friends who took the bus had problems with infrequent and limited service, so before I moved away from home for college, I made sure I had my own car and always kept one around.
When I met Kubo King in college, I was surprised that he didn’t think that owning a car should be essential to get around the city. He found driving and dealing with traffic a hassle. He missed the dense, big-city lifestyle he had witnessed as a child growing up near Manila, where public transportation was ubiquitous and the streets were full of people walking and riding bikes. He also hated spending time and money on car maintenance, preferring to spend that time and money on things that gave him more enjoyment.
It has taken a while for me to come around to his view, but I finally have. I now believe it’s time for Americans to change our transportation habits, and I can fully envision a near future in which we get from place to place with greater efficiency and less stress via effective city planning and public transit. I believe such a future would be better for people (psychologically and physically), and certainly better for our culture’s sustainability.
The first time I gave public transit a chance was when I travelled for an internship one summer. I had just bought a used car with a manual transmission, having always driven automatic before. I took the car to Seattle for the summer, without realizing in advance how hilly Seattle is! I wasn’t sure I could get my car back up the steep hills that led to my workplace by the canal without stalling out or rolling into the car behind. So I bought a bus card at the grocery store and got on a bus to go to my first day of work instead. I ended up taking the bus all over Seattle that summer, and even used the train to get to the airport when I flew home for a four-day weekend. It wasn’t an easy transition for me, as I’m quite anxious in crowded public places and public transit took longer than driving would have. However, it wasn’t all bad. I was often grateful for someone else driving me where I needed to go, and it could be relaxing after a long day at work to read a book on the way home, or just look out the window at the beautiful views of the trees, lake, and canals. In contrast, when I drive myself home after work I have to focus on the road and deal with bad drivers, road rage, and stop and go traffic — which are all stressful on a long commute.
These days, I’m taking the bus to and from graduate school five days a week. For several years, Kubo King and I went to the same school while living together; and each year we would come up with more and more money for a parking permit so we could carpool together. This year, however, Kubo King started a full-time job while I continued in graduate school. I wanted to save money on my transportation since we would have separate commutes each day, and this has made me realize how much driving your own car can be a financial burden as well as a social and environmental one. Using the bus for my commute has been a big win cost-wise. Conservatively, my annual commuting costs in the car would have been at least $457 in parking and $600 in gas (at two $25 tanks a month). And that’s not counting oil changes and repairs, which add up more the more you drive your car and tend to fly under the radar. In contrast, because my university has a subsidized bus pass available for students, my cost to take the bus is $240 for unlimited rides for the entire year; and it will never cost me more than that.
So basically, it turns out that driving a personal car can be stressful for a long commute and waste a lot of money. In our current city, the alternatives are inconvenient — but there is no reason this has to continue to be the norm in America. It all comes down to city planning and the investment we’re willing to make in our public infrastructure. When Kubo King and I honeymooned in Paris, for example, I witnessed what a difference a city’s layout can make. We took the metro everywhere; it was fast and it arrived every 3 minutes. We also happily walked throughout the city, enjoying the fact that we passed many other people out walking everywhere we went. There was everything we could want within a few blocks of our AirBnb — a coffee shop, a grocer, a butcher, a home-supply store, sidewalk bars and cafes, and more bakeries than we had time to try in our weeklong visit! This was the final experience that convinced me that a car-free way of life can be wonderful.
If you’re still not convinced, consider this final thing. Taking the bus isn’t just good for your pocket book, and doesn’t just create more time in your day to relax and unwind. It’s a way you can personally reduce your environmental impact — by using less gasoline, buying a new car less often, and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions in your city. The Department of Transportation has some data on the emissions impacts here. National averages show that taking the bus as I am reduces greenhouse gas emissions per person by 33%, and other forms of transit like subways are even better. In the future, Kubo King and I will be giving a lot of thought to living and working in an area where we can walk, bike, or take a train everywhere we need to go. Even though I used to enjoy driving, I now have to acknowledge its wastefulness and inefficiency, and the dreadful consequences of emissions.
As I’ve been educating myself on the environmental consequences of our modern lives, I’ve really had an epiphany of sorts. I’ve realized how unsustainable current Western life is on our planet. I’ve realized that what’s happening to the planet is a real crisis, right now. Won’t we all have to make sacrifices if we want our children to have good lives on earth? At one point recently I asked myself… what would it be hard for me to sacrifice to improve the planet for my children? I don’t find it difficult to give up a lot of cheap clothes or a lot of gadgets. Driving is harder for me to give up, but I’m completely willing to do it. I don’t believe we can afford to use it as our main means of getting around anymore, and if that means big changes to our lifestyles and our cities, then why not? I’m on board.
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