To be completely honest, I have never really relied on public transportation. Growing up in the suburbs of the tri-valley (Danville) you drove everywhere, even if you wanted to take Bart you would have to drive to the Bart station (which was a 10-minute drive either north or south). Even when I was doing my undergraduate at Purdue University in Indiana, I would walk everywhere. Yes, the buses were reliable there, but they were always overcrowded and would actually end up taking longer than it would to walk. I also found walking around campus a great way to get some exercise in. Still to this day, I typically drive everywhere I need to go. I know public transportation has many more benefits than me driving my car but when it comes down to it, it would take me 30+ minutes to get to work if I took public transportation, where if I drive it takes me 12 minutes maximum. Since moving to San Jose, my boyfriend and I do try to come into work together at least two times a week (we work at the same company) but it does get hard at times with changing schedules.
I wish California, in reality the entire United States, had better public transportation. It would dramatically increase our air quality by reducing pollution, there would a reduction in car fatalities and injuries, and make our population overall healthier. Sitting in a car for an hour doing nothing takes a serious toll on a person’s health, whereas public transportation has proven benefits of decreasing the overall obesity rates due to active commuting.
In addition to the pollution while sitting in the car, people also have to manage their stress when dealing with other grumpy drivers. At least on company shuttles and other public transports, you can relax and read a book/listen to music.
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