Public Transportation Essay Example

Public Transportation Essay Kathleen Bragas ID # 1743274 ENGL 102 280 Prof. K. Buchanan The Public Transportation Revolution For as long as I can remember, public transportation has been a bittersweet experience. Trains and busses are reliable, convenient and very environmentally friendly. They help a city become more interconnected and overall seem like rather enjoyable experience. But, a problem that seems to be repetitively irritating me is that there are also so many negative effects about the poor state of public transportation that have not yet been taken into account. By taking a means of public transportation on a daily bases, I have been able to fully witness and experience some of the most horrible and embarrassing things during a bus or train ride. The inaccessibility of public transportation, the vehicle itself, and the lack of security one may feel in the vehicle are all reasons why I feel that modifications must be made about the poor state of public transportation. To begin with, the inaccessibility of busses and trains need to be improved in such a way that would equally please everyone. Living in a city where winter includes extremely cold and icy weather conditions my main priority is usually just to find a bus and warm up. Unfortunately they fail to be more available. For example, the busses 6 and 73 from Southgate Mall both go to Millwoods Town Centre, unfortunately their schedules are extremely similar. Which makes no sense as this only allows the bus to be less crowded of people, but does not make it any more accessible than before. Also, if you think that taking the train would be even more convenient than the bus, you’d probably be just as mad as I was, to find out that it takes even longer. We will write a custom essay sample on Public Transportation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Public Transportation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Public Transportation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer By the time you get off the train and walk to the transit there is a great chance that you still have to wait for a bus to take you to your last destination. In order to improve these conditions, the transit system should modify the bus schedules so that busses with the same destination should come after one another, and finally, collaborate the train and bus times. In brief, if all these improvement were to be made, public transportation would surely be more accessible. Unfortunately, there are more things that need to be improved. In addition to the inaccessibility of public transportation, the conditions of the busses and trains itself are quite horrid and also need to ameliorate. Sadly, the interior of the bus is dangerous. During the winter or rain season, the floors become very wet and as a result become extremely dangerous. When walking on the floors to get on or off the bus it is awfully easy for someone to slip and fall straight to the ground, ultimately causing a lot of pain and embarrassment. Also, when busses tend to become crowded others are left to stand and hold on to a bar and, if you’re lucky a loop handle hanging from higher bars. I believe that this is unbeneficial to those who, like me, are short and attempting to hang onto a looped handle that is way too high for you is unsafe. This happened to me once: the bus was crowded and I was hanging on to the handle tightly but as soon as the bus driver made a sharp turn I was caught off guard, and fell on top of a man sitting down in front of me. In any case, the public transportation system definitely needs to reconsider the interior design of the bus and modify it to make it safer for a variety of different people. However, the safety of those taking the bus and the bus drivers themselves should additionally be considered. Finally, the unsecure transit areas need to be improved in order to provide security for the bus drivers and those taking a public vehicle. Taking the bus or train during evenings or late nights can be dangerous as there are certain individuals that cause trouble. Although there are cameras in the pedway’s and transit stops it does not aid anyone if there was a murderer or an individual causing problems at that very moment. For this reason, I try to avoid taking a means of public transportation during those times. Bus drivers are also at a risk as they’re could be a single individual that can cause harm to the bus driver while driving and consequently affect those on the bus. On Thursday March 2, 2006 a brutal beating occurred to a fellow passenger on a bus by four youths in Edmonton, Alberta. The passenger was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but died on the way. According to the article on the CTV website, witnesses explain that they â€Å"do not feel as safe as they once did†. And the fact that there has been, â€Å"301 violent incidents reported in 2005,† and the crime rate continuing to increase each year, it is quite clear that a change has to be made. I personally believe that there should be security guards or even peace keepers in areas where cases like this are common. In doing so, this will provide security to everyone, ultimately making public transportation a more suitable experience. In conclusion, there are a lot of pros and cons about public transportation. The cons however seem to over ride the pros and cause individuals to dislike public transportation. But if the public transportation improved their poor conditions by modifying schedules to become more available, changing the interior design of the vehicles to allow safer trips, and provide security by getting security guards and peacekeepers. Then there is no doubt that public transportation will be more beneficial. WORKS CITED: http://www. ctv. ca/CTVNews/Canada/20060303/edmonton_beating_060303/ Public Transportation Essay Example Public Transportation Essay Link http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=31 Public Transportation: Streets Sidewalks on1300 block of Lapwing Road Name: We will write a custom essay sample on Public Transportation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Public Transportation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Public Transportation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Course: Date: Public Transportation: Streets Sidewalks on1300 block of Lapwing Road Transport is considered as one of the most essential social amenities, which a government is tasked with providing to its respective populace. Transportation means have changed over the years into faster, reliable and efficient means. This is among one of the main reasons there is an increase in the number of people using public means of transport as it is cost effective and highly efficient. However, the main issue revolving around the various transportation means is the degradation of the transportation means such as railroads, highways, sidewalks and curbs. For an individual such as Barbara who is unable to use her only private means of transport has an option of using public means of transport such as train services or bus services. However, this is a challenge given that she is unable to jostle for seating positions in the various public means of transport. Additionally given she has two children under her care she needs a means of transport that is fast and reliable such that she is able to access her place of work, back to her house with ample ease, and speed (City of Edmond, 2012). On the other hand, she could provide her two grandchildren with an option of using their respective school transportation means, which would ensure their safety. This is in comparison to using means such as bicycles to arrive in school given the risks associated with road incidences as well as the rates of crime in the city and the surrounding areas. The school transportation availed is adequate for the two grandchildren because it would ensure their timely arrival in school as well as their safety. In addition, the school bus also provides for accommodation of students with disabilities making it comfortable for people with both abilities and disabilities. Furthermore, other means of movement or transport such as using bicycles are possible given that, the city has adequate sidewalks, which could be used by the children in movement within the neighborhood. It is also evident of the risks associated with walking to school because of the presence of a fallen tree. This has led to the damage of the sidewalk and curbs, thus hampering the movement of people such as Barbara and her grandchildren. This also poses a safety risks to handicapped individuals because of the lack of avenues for movement (City of Edmond, 2012). Furthermore, movement at night would be a risk in that the presence of a fallen tree could pose risks to injuries or harm. This is dangerous for an individual like Barbara in their prime ages that might have chronic illnesses and difficulties in movement. Thus at her age, she should be limited to us of public means of transport because of the risks associated with driving and specifically an old and unreliable vehicle. On the other hand the movement in city and its surroundings ins easier because of the presence of adequate lighting, presence of sings indicating direction as well as caution for areas under construction. For instance, there is the presence of a road sign â€Å"Road Work 1500Ft†. Such sings are vital for alerting pedestrians, drivers and the entire community of the possibility of risks to their health and physical wellbeing from the road construction activities (City of Edmond, 2012). Barbara has the possibility of facing difficulties in using public means of transport all of which are attributable to her regular use of individual means of transport. She might find the change unappealing in terms of the presence of people from different backgrounds and of varied caliber. Additionally, she might be unable to use the means because of time constraints in terms of the need to arrive early at work and at her residence. This is attributable to the presence of two children under her care to whom she must attend to with care and punctuality (Healthy People.gov., 2012). This is brought about by toe distance from Barbara’s home to the bus stop, which is approximately 12 minutes walk. This is a substantial distance towards the main road. Additionally, Barbara is at an old age and movement is a delicate issue for her. She is in need of a means of transport that suits her time or schedule as well as one which enables her to observe her health and not exposure of her bod y to strenuous conditions such as long walks. The inability of Barbara to access public transport with ease is an indication of the dire need by the city’s transportation services to ensure the availability of such services to a wider part of the community. This is essential in that it provides other people such as Barbara and the rest of the populace with an avenue to engage in their individual activities with efficiency and ease. It would accrue new revenue streams for the authorities and thus enhance the development projects undertaken by the authorities within the community. The availability of city transport services on the highway is an indication of the limitations of transport services in the city. This should be challenged through the provision of additional services into other interior parts of the community (City of Edmond, 2012). 1300 Block of Lapwing Road is a good place to live given that it has a clean and serene environment. However, issues of transport are a major concern in that potential residents usually evaluate the accessibility to social amenities such as public means of transport. This is a major factor in that it determines an individual’s movement from one location to another such as movement from place of residence to the workplace and movement from the workplace to an individual’s residence (City of Edmond, 2012). Conclusively, the neighborhood is a good place to live given that it has low levels of crime and is clean which provides children and individuals with the much-needed safety and serenity. Barbara should also perform driving tests to evaluate her competency at her old age. This is essential in that it enhances her safety as well as the safety of others such as the pedestrians, other drivers and maintains the infrastructure put up by the city council of the City of Edmond. Reference City of Edmond. (2012). City Services. Accessed from http://edmondok.com/index.aspx?nid=592 on 21 November 2012. Healthy People.gov. (2012). Topics Objectives Index – Healthy People. Accessed from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/default.aspx on 21November 2012. Link http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=31

Biomes and Biodiversity Essays

Biomes and Biodiversity Essays Biomes and Biodiversity Paper Biomes and Biodiversity Paper Preserving a representative sample of the biomes or aquatic zones can be considered if certain issues are kept in mind.   Often these species are functionally active, require a lot of space, are diverse, and contain vulnerable sections of the population. An experiment was conducted byBeazley et al (2003) to determine the effect of protecting small representative samples in the forests of Maine and Nova of North America.   Some species such as the wolves, river otters, wood turtles, Atlantic salmon, etc were able to multiply, whereas others were unable to do so extensively.   Each species being developed would have individual issues which need to be determined through a quantitative analysis and examination, and addressed through effective interventions.   Only if humans are aware of these individual problems should they strive to protect a greater representative population (Beazley, 2004). The rate of extinction of various species is very high currently.   It is being said that extinction of species is occurring in a similar manner as that occurred during the Cretaceous and the Tertiary ages (about 65 million years ago), when the dinosaurs and several other species perished.   The loss of species and diversity can adversely affect man. The global ecological changes that are occurring currently are irreversible.   Whenever a small area in the world is being deforested and converted into human settlements, there are huge chances that significant numbers of several species are lost.   In the Amazon, huge amount of forests are converted into settlements, resulting in loss of several animal and insect species.   Insect are being lost at thousand times the rate they would have in nature (Stanford University, 1997). Birds are also getting extinct at a fast rate.   Usually, with no human intervention, about one bird species would be lost every century.   However with human activity, about 500 species of birds are lost over the last 500 years, and especially in the 21st century, about 10 species of birds would be lost every year. Humans are more concerned about bird species and hence intense studies are being conducted to determine the manner in which bird species are becoming extinct.   Birds are currently undergoing extinction 100 times more quickly than would have otherwise occurred in nature.   There is a huge probability that other groups of species may be undergoing faster extinction compared to birds.   Some of the common other causes that would result in extinction of species includes selective hunting, introduction of alien species, global warming, mining and extensive fishing, habitat destruction, etc (Duke University, 2005). References: Beazley, K. (2004). A systematic approach for selecting focal species for conservation in the forests of Nova Scotia and Maine, Environmental Conservation, 31(2):91-101. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=onlineaid=236317 Duke University – News Communications (2005). Birds Going Extinct Faster Due to Human Activities, Retrieved June 5, 2009, from Web site: dukenews.duke.edu/2006/07/nobirds._print.ht University of Stanford (1997). Biodiversity and Extinction Rates, Retrieved June 5, 2009, from Web site: http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/biodiversity.html