What is the policy for students using public transportation in your community?
Growing up, I didn’t have the option to use public transportation to get to school. It didn’t exist.
Overall, the county-wide public transit system where I grew up was not reliable or functional for longer commutes and often not for local commutes either – hence the heavily car-dependent system I grew up in.
From the very inception of Pedestrian Space in 2020, I’ve emphasized and highlighted how crucial affordable, convenient, and safe public transit is for walkable communities and quality of life.
I’ve been living in towns and cities with pretty dependable public transportation for many years now, but am still quietly thrilled to have it as a functional daily option and also to be able to raise my children understanding the value and practicality of well-connected and reliable public transportation in a community.
We are sometimes passengers in the car my husband drives. We use ride shares occasionally, and I walk as much as possible. However, due to the affordability and accessibility of public transportation routes for daily needs, our dependence on the system is also quite high, allowing us to drastically reduce car use.
Students in the city where we live have access to free public transportation. With a card as well as a statement of residence/enrolment provided by the school, one goes to a local municipal office where you apply, and the card is prepared on the spot.
My son’s card expires in Autumn 2028, when he turns 15, and my daughter’s in 2033. That’s how long their cards are valid for!
From the very inception of Pedestrian Space in 2020, I’ve emphasized and highlighted how crucial affordable, convenient, and safe public transit is for walkable communities and quality of life.
In the Polish city where we live, it’s also so clear how dependent youth of all ages are on public transportation and how such a system also affords them freedom of mobility in the city.
Some commentary over the years on public transportation as a vital dimension of walkable cities at the Pedestrian Space website: https://pedestrianspace.org/category/public-transportation/
-Annika