Public Transportation

Just like we don't pay to use elevators, this book argues that we shouldn't pay to ride public transit. In an age of increasing inequalities and ecological crisis, movements advocating free public transit push us to rethink the status quo and consider urban transit as a fundamental human right. Editors Jason Prince and Judith Dellheim have collected a panorama of case studies from around the world: the United States, Canada, Estonia, Greece, France, Italy, Sweden, Poland, China, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and more. These movements are spread across the world, and they aim to achieve two main outcomes-ecological good and fair wealth distribution. Free public transit-coupled with increased capacity and improving service of public transit-might well be the only viable strategy to eliminating car usage and achieving greenhouse gas targets in industrialized cities within a reasonable timeframe. Movements for free mass transit also aim to see public transit treated as a public good, like water and garbage service, that should be paid for out of general tax revenues or a fairer regional tax strategy. This book covers the rapidly changing transport options in cities today, including bike and car share options, Uber and Lyft, and the imminent arrival of driver-less vehicles. The first English-language book ever written on the subject, Free Public Transit is a ground breaking book for those concerned about the future of our cities and an essential resource for those who make, or try to change, urban planning and transport policies.

Public transit is a powerful tool for addressing a huge range of urban problems, including traffic congestion and economic development as well as climate change. But while many people support transit in the abstract, it's often hard to channel that support into good transit investments. Part of the problem is that transit debates attract many kinds of experts, who often talk past each other. Ordinary people listen to a little of this and decide that transit is impossible to figure out. Jarrett Walker believes that transit can be simple, if we focus first on the underlying geometry that all transit technologies share. In Human Transit, Walker supplies the basic tools, the critical questions, and the means to make smarter decisions about designing and implementing transit services. Human Transit explains the fundamental geometry of transit that shapes successful systems; the process for fitting technology to a particular community; and the local choices that lead to transit-friendly development. Whether you are in the field or simply a concerned citizen, here is an accessible guide to achieving successful public transit that will enrich any community.

The traditional urban transportation systems around the globe are now being transferred into green public transportation systems in an effort to mitigate CO2 emissions and provide nature-friendly transportation systems in cities and, ultimately, to increase citizens’ wellbeing. Furthermore, the cities are expected to transform their traditional transportation systems to cutting-edge high technology green transportation systems in the near future due to regulations applied by the related authorities such as the EU and UN. At the same time, cities are undergoing a transformation from traditional to smart cities, which is an inevitable process due to swift developments in technologies and smart systems. Sustainable public transportation systems must be developed and adjusted to be applicable in future smart cities. The Handbook of Research on Promoting Sustainable Public Transportation Strategies in Urban Environments considers the challenges and advantages of sustainable public transportation systems in urban areas and provides relevant theoretical frameworks, the latest empirical research findings, and an overview of the latest technological developments on the subject. Covering key topics such as green vehicles, sustainability, and walkable cities, this major reference work is ideal for policymakers, government officials, industry professionals, researchers, scholars, practitioners, academicians, instructors, and students.