Buses, trains and other modes of transit carry more people more efficiently – a point that was made vividly clear in an image that recently circulated on the Internet.
The image sets side-by-side the amount of road space consumed by single-occupancy vehicles, pedestrians and a rail car, creating a contrast that helps underscore the impact transit can have on crowded streets.
Though it’s not always so obvious, the efficiency on display in the image plays out daily in the Twin Cities as buses and trains travel throughout the region and allow people to share the ride (40-foot buses can carry 40 seated customers).
Creating more space on the roads is particularly important during rush hour but can have a meaningful impact at all times. Reducing congestion allows trucks and other commercial vehicles to move more freely, helping the local economy. Police, firefighters and medics can respond better during emergencies. And the environment benefits from lowered emissions.
How's that for a pretty picture?
> Atlantic: The case against cars in one utterly entrancing GIF
> Efficient ride = greener ride
> Go Greener