In the overwhelmingly car-dominated landscape of the urban United States, there is one shining star in the realm of transportation: the city bus and train.

You’ll frequently hear complaints about buses and trains that are superficial in nature. They smell bad, can be a few minutes late or are sometimes used as temporary shelter by the houseless (god forbid!).

Less attention is paid, however, to the immense convenience and accessibility of public transportation. Car-owning city-dwellers may be less inclined to appreciate public transportation.  For those of us who don’t own cars, however, the bus makes a tremendous difference in our quality of life.

Three years ago, I was a PSEO student commuting to the University from Fridley. I didn’t have regular access to a car, and, even if I did, parking was expensive and hard to come by. I lived too far away to reasonably walk or bike, and Ubering every day would have been obscenely expensive. 

Enter the route 10 bus: a convenient and affordable option. It was made especially affordable by the U-Pass, the transit pass offered by the University that grants students unlimited rides on Metro Transit buses and trains for $114 most semesters. I hadn’t ridden the city bus since I was a very young child, and the idea of making it a part of my everyday routine was a bit intimidating. 

However, once I became more accustomed to the bus system and its quirks, I was thankful for it. I’m not sure how I could’ve gotten to class that year without it, save for dropping thousands as a high-schooler on a car, a parking spot, gas and inevitable maintenance.

Nowadays, even when I do have access to a car, I’ll often choose to take the bus instead. It’s easier than driving, especially as a student with a U-Pass. On top of the convenience, I also feel like I’m making an environmentally conscious decision.

On top of being convenient, accessible and affordable, public transportation is much more environmentally friendly than cars. Transportation was the second-highest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States in 2019, a figure largely contributed to by SUVs and other cars, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Transit Administration. 

Choosing public transportation is one of the single most effective actions individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint, according to a 2010 report from the FTA. Heavy rail transit (subways, for example) produces 76% less in greenhouse gas emissions than the average single-occupancy vehicle. Light rail transit produces 62% less, and buses 32%, according to the FTA report.

Another perk: Metro Transit also offers the Transit Assistance Program, which provides $1 bus and train fares to lower income passengers, a discount of 50% off the base fare. Seniors are also eligible for reduced fares on buses and trains during non-rush hours.

What’s more, it’s now easier than ever to navigate the often complicated world of public transportation with the internet. The transit option on Google Maps is an invaluable tool for planning bus and train routes. Another useful tool for riders: at bus stops where expected times aren’t displayed (which is most of them), riders can text the letters “MT” followed by the five-digit stop number to the number 272-99 for live updates on arrival times.

So, if you’re someone who is intimidated by public transportation for one reason or another, I encourage you to give it a chance. Buses and trains are some of the most useful public goods offered in the Twin Cities area, and it would be a shame for anyone to miss out on them.