How Safe is Public Transit?
March 15th 2022
Public Transit is the main and only source of transportation for millions of people. According to the American Public transportation Association (APTA), the use of public transportation has grown 28% between 1995 and 2019. The need for public transportation has grown due to population growth and people choosing to make smarter ecological choices. Using the subway produces 84% less CO2 emissions than a car and saves 6 billion gallons of gas every year [1].
In Canada, in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area alone, it is estimated that due to the reduced air pollution from public transit, health-related costs were reduced by as much as $1 billion per year and 154 premature deaths were prevented [2]. When it comes to collisions, public transit travel has a passenger fatality rate 20 times less than that of automobile travel [2].
The United States Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), released a pocket guide to large truck and bus statistics in 2019. The last year of data in the guide is for 2017 and shows that there were 983,231 registered buses in the United States. Of those registered, 229 buses were involved in a fatal crash, with 44 bus passenger fatalities. The FMCSA broke that number down by type of bus, and of the 229 buses, 95 were public transit buses, and 13 were motorcoaches. In 2017, there were 15,000 U.S. buses involved in a crash involving injuries and 25,000 persons injured in those crashes [3].
Mass transit agencies are also focusing on rider personal safety. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is enhancing passenger safety in their terminals, depots, and on the buses themselves. The MBTA has installed video surveillance on 225 buses, allowing the security footage to be sent back to dispatch by automatically offloading the video to the central archiver once the bus is back at the terminal [4].
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation provides a list of basic safety guidelines to remember while using public transportation [5]:
- Do not run to the train or bus. Watch your step boarding or exiting a subway or train so as not to fall in the gap.
- Listen for public announcements and follow the directions provided.
- Stand to one side to allow riders to exit before you board and never attempt to board once the doors begin to close.
- Use railings when the bus is slowing or turning.
- Be aware of others around you. If you feel as though you are being followed, go to the nearest occupied building and request assistance.
- Never display valuables or money. Carry your wallet inside a pocket or a pocket that can be buttoned. Do not place bags or purses on an empty seat, keep them in your lap, between your legs, or between your feet.
- Plan your route ahead of time to ensure you do not get lost and get to your destination on time.
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[1] https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/APTA-2021-Fact-Book.pdf
[3] https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/43602
[4] https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/12/18/mbta-bus-surveillance-system-tech-conference/
[5] https://www.penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/PublicTransitOptions/Pages/Safety-and-Etiquette-Tips.aspx