Options for Bus Transport: The Overseas Experience. Summary

Accessibility to jobs, social services, education, and cultural opportunities is essential to economic growth of a community and the social well-being of its citizens. In smaller communities, the distance between home and work, school, or shopping tends to be relatively short, usually within 5 or 6 kilometers. Walking and other forms of individual transport such as the bicycle provide adequate levels of access except for the aged and infirm. As urban areas continue to grow, however, and economies improve, journeys tend to become longer and more frequent. Individuals spend much more of their time commuting. While many cities try to practice efficient land use planning, combining residences, jobs, schools, commercial and health services in close proximity to one another, actual experience in most parts of the world has indicated a need to provide effective transport systems which enable citizens to take advantage of opportunities which may not exist within their communities. Without efficient public transport, the competitiveness of a city’s economy suffers due to the adverse effect on labor availability, and individuals spend much more time and money commuting.

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