There are many modes of transport available across the world. Motorized personal transportation like cars and motorcycles and public transport like buses and trains cover most of the journeys made globally. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.
Personal transportation is easily accessed and is therefore convenient. Cars and motorcycles can be driven from home to work with only the minimum of walking required. But there are costs to this convenience. There's an environmental cost from the pollution motorized transport produces and because of taxes and rising fuel prices, personal transport is often more expensive than public.
People are traveling further today than ever before. In the US alone passenger car mileage has increased from 587 million miles a year in 1960 to 1.6 billion 50 years later. A lot of those miles are taken up by people getting to work but there are a lot of other options for commuters. Buses and trains cater for work by putting on more services at key times in the morning and again in the evening when people are traveling back home. Bus stops can be found in populated areas of all towns and cities and train stations can be found in all major cities and the larger towns.
Streetcars are a form of public transportation that are starting to rise in popularity. In America, Canada and Britain these services gradually went away as more and more cars were bought. But since the 1980s streetcars have started to make a comeback throughout the states. Cities like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and San Francisco have updated their systems to meet this demand.
In European cities they are known as trams or light railways and, as with America, they are becoming more widespread. Major cities like London, Stuttgart and Athens have improved their tracks and built new machines to cope with the demand.
Streetcars are becoming popular because they are cheap and better for the environment than a lot of their competitors. This can also be said of buses and trains. But not every mode of public transport has the same environmental impact. When taking a short journey of 20 miles or less the train produces 7 lbs of CO2 whilst buses produce more than double that amount.
In contrast to public transport, personal transportation can get you to your destination quicker because it can take you from door to door, but the environmental impact is significantly higher. Cycling is the most environmentally friendly type of personal transportation. It's a good way to keep fit, but not the most practical form of transportation for cold, windy or icy environments.
Personal transportation is easily accessed and is therefore convenient. Cars and motorcycles can be driven from home to work with only the minimum of walking required. But there are costs to this convenience. There's an environmental cost from the pollution motorized transport produces and because of taxes and rising fuel prices, personal transport is often more expensive than public.
People are traveling further today than ever before. In the US alone passenger car mileage has increased from 587 million miles a year in 1960 to 1.6 billion 50 years later. A lot of those miles are taken up by people getting to work but there are a lot of other options for commuters. Buses and trains cater for work by putting on more services at key times in the morning and again in the evening when people are traveling back home. Bus stops can be found in populated areas of all towns and cities and train stations can be found in all major cities and the larger towns.
Streetcars are a form of public transportation that are starting to rise in popularity. In America, Canada and Britain these services gradually went away as more and more cars were bought. But since the 1980s streetcars have started to make a comeback throughout the states. Cities like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and San Francisco have updated their systems to meet this demand.
In European cities they are known as trams or light railways and, as with America, they are becoming more widespread. Major cities like London, Stuttgart and Athens have improved their tracks and built new machines to cope with the demand.
Streetcars are becoming popular because they are cheap and better for the environment than a lot of their competitors. This can also be said of buses and trains. But not every mode of public transport has the same environmental impact. When taking a short journey of 20 miles or less the train produces 7 lbs of CO2 whilst buses produce more than double that amount.
In contrast to public transport, personal transportation can get you to your destination quicker because it can take you from door to door, but the environmental impact is significantly higher. Cycling is the most environmentally friendly type of personal transportation. It's a good way to keep fit, but not the most practical form of transportation for cold, windy or icy environments.
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