Andrew Rowe: American Public Transportation

American Public Transportation

       America can still be celebrated as a country that pushes frontiers because of their elaborate public transportation system. This is shown because one of the key supporters in the biggest cities in the nation are supported by public transportation.

       To begin, one type of the most popular public transportation is the city bus. Although it did not originate in the United States, The Chicago based company, The yellow Coach manufacturing company, became the major manufacturer and had a significant impact on making the bus a popular form of transportation. Furthermore, It is the primary form of transportation in the United States and also one of the most advanced. For example, It is the first public transportation in the world that is accessible to customers with disabilities (http://web.mta.info). This is cutting-edge in the push for new frontiers because now this form of transportation has expanded to a whole different group of people that otherwise would not be able to ride. Also, Buses are beneficial to the environment because is an estimated 1.4 billion gallons of gas saved annually, which also leads to 14 million tons of CO2 saved from the environment.(http://reason.org/news/show/does-bus-transit-reduce-greenhouse).
 
Another example would be the subway or metro system. New York City has the 7th largest amount of people riding, however there are improvements that will raise this number significantly. For example, new subway cars contain computers that regulate speed, which will allow trains to run closer together (http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffsubway.htm). The metro is also being supported by companies like Xcel Energy, who are investing 8.8 million dollars in making the subway more advanced and efficient (https://www.metrotransit.org/metro-transit-partners-recognize-earth-day-at-new-energy-efficient-rail-facility). However the railway is extremely expensive. Growing cities such as Austin can not afford it since voters have decided against a billion dollar plan that would build a railway (http://kut.org/post/austins-rail-and-roads-bond-defeated). Nevertheless, in the biggest cities, Railways and metros are a big part because they help define a city because of its presence.

Finally, Taxis are a part of the push for new frontiers because of their vast numbers and their availability from almost anywhere. In every major city in the United States, taxis can be found anywhere because there is such a high demand for transportation. Taxis are continuing to change because customers have a higher standard in safety. Starting in 2013, 13,000 new cabs are being exchanged for many of the older cabs because of the significant improvements (bringshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxicabs_of_New_York_City#Taxi_of_Tomorrow). Safety and design are updated along with a more fuel efficient engine that reduces emissions and helps reduce transportations impact on the environment.