Public Transit Doesn't Have to Suck

In the US and Canada, public transit is seen as unreliable, inconvenient, and outright dangerous. Due to the car-centric nature of North American cities, driving is the norm and cars get prioritized over every other form of transit. This leads to negligence and lack of funding for public transit, causing a generational loss of knowledge and support for building it. In this video I explain why transit is important for the health and function of cities, and how it can make our communities more sustainable, equitable, and accessible.
➜ References & Further Reading:
How longer commutes affect mental health:
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c...
Do Your Buses Get Stuck in Traffic? Traffic solutions & the Downs-Thomson Paradox
• Do Your Buses Get Stuc...
A Lesson on Induced Demand | Why Your Public Transit Matters
• A Lesson on Induced De...
The Causes of Traffic and Congestion
www.strongtowns.org/journal/2...
America Always Gets This Wrong (when building transit)
• America Always Gets Th...
Good Transit Needs More Than Frequent Buses
• Good Transit Needs Mor...
You Don't Need Population Density to "Justify" Mass Transit
• You Don't Need Populat...
China’s metro station in the middle of nowhere
www.cnn.com/travel/article/ch...
Walksheds show planners how easily people can walk to transit
www.mwcog.org/newsroom/2019/0...
You Don’t Have to Be Afraid of Public Transit
www.vice.com/en/article/3aq94...
How America's Failing Public Transportation Increases Inequality
www.theatlantic.com/business/...
Waiting for a bus that takes forever: Welcome to Toronto’s ‘transit desert’
www.thestar.com/news/gta/wait...
Access Walking Distance, Transit Use, and Transit-Oriented Development in North York City Center, Toronto, Canada
www.researchgate.net/publicat...
➜ Follow Me:
TikTok: / flurfdesign
Chapters
0:00 Good transit matters
1:21 Why transit is neglected
2:37 Toronto is stupid again
3:42 china haha xi jinping haha communism haha
4:18 Meanwhile in America....
4:59 Transit deserts
6:18 Driving to the train station?!!
7:21 Transit Oriented Development
8:17 china bad xd communism xd haha lol
8:35 The Niagara Ghost Town
8:55 Transit is improving
-flurf
#publictransport #urbanplanning #urbandesign

Пікірлер: 78

  • @boeing-ys7wr
    @boeing-ys7wr9 ай бұрын

    This is so well put together, more people really need to see this. No one in america seems to really understand how messed up our infrastructure is and how much better things could be done.

  • @highway2heaven91

    @highway2heaven91

    8 ай бұрын

    This is why we need to get the word out 🎉

  • @giovanigeorgis3848

    @giovanigeorgis3848

    8 ай бұрын

    There’s nothing wrong with our current infrastructure though.

  • @saininj

    @saininj

    6 ай бұрын

    I visited Portland, Orgeron pretty recently, and the TriMet was a great experience. It seriously got me thinking why doesn't every city get on board with this!?

  • @TuggzDem

    @TuggzDem

    3 ай бұрын

    @@giovanigeorgis3848you can’t be serious

  • @chessiecat96

    @chessiecat96

    2 ай бұрын

    @@giovanigeorgis3848 America's infrastructure is like a third world country, And I live in america.

  • @qjtvaddict
    @qjtvaddict8 ай бұрын

    Bus lanes kick buses out of the way from cars it’s a win win for everyone

  • @realquadmoo

    @realquadmoo

    2 ай бұрын

    So yes on paper but most roads are so frickin wide that it’s just better to take away one lane and give it to buses. And we don’t need more than one lane for buses since they’re soooo more efficient than cars. Personally I don’t think we even need more than one lane for cars most of the time.

  • @afterhourscinema782
    @afterhourscinema7827 ай бұрын

    Another big one is cleanliness. In the US, public transit is littered with crackheads, creeps, junkies, and bums and as a result, normal people refuse to ride public transit which pretty much leaves only bums and the very desperate using the services. It may sound 'elitist' but until the criminal element on public transit is dealt with, people will refuse to ride public transit even if the services are there.

  • @frafraplanner9277

    @frafraplanner9277

    7 ай бұрын

    It's ironic that this is considered elitist when the lower and middle class actively avoid public transit due to all the anti-social behavior on it, while the upper class get to drive around in their nice cars

  • @TuggzDem

    @TuggzDem

    3 ай бұрын

    Imagine living life with this much fear, you’re more likely to die on the highway than be attacked on public transit look how many car accidents happen every morning and afternoon

  • @Artkenny284

    @Artkenny284

    3 ай бұрын

    Criminals being “crackheads” “junkies” and “bums”

  • @julianrosas9134

    @julianrosas9134

    2 ай бұрын

    @@TuggzDem”I would prefer not to ride a filthy bus next to a guy actively tweaking on meth.” “WOW imagine living with this much FEAR lol!” The attitude that’s ruined most major American cities

  • @FlyingOverTr0ut
    @FlyingOverTr0ut10 ай бұрын

    Great video. Your channel's sure to blow up and educate millions on why they hate their surroundings so much and how to improve them. Here in LA we're building momentum in that direction, but it's so slow going and piecemeal. We have the same problems with signal priority with many of our metro trains and delays. Yet I can walk outside and see the smog in the air miles down the road because we're so dependent on cars. I really hope videos like yours energize people into demanding massive changes to our transportation and into making changes themselves to walk, bike, and take transit.

  • @stratisapostolou6284

    @stratisapostolou6284

    10 ай бұрын

    T T C STANDS FOR TAKE THE CAR. TRANSIT SUCKS SO IS THIS GUY PRODUCING THIS VIDEO.😡👎

  • @giovanigeorgis3848

    @giovanigeorgis3848

    8 ай бұрын

    @@flurfdesignyour aesthetic videos were better :/

  • @siliconhawk9293
    @siliconhawk92938 ай бұрын

    man as a indian who does not live in a metro city, the first time i visited bangaluru and chennai and used their metro, i was shocked and pleasantry surprised every city that has more than like 500k - 1mill people deserves a metro IT NEEDS a metro.

  • @dealman3312
    @dealman33128 ай бұрын

    Start with hiring an artist to compose wonderful jingles and a relaxing female voice to announce station stops and transfers

  • @haaxeu6501

    @haaxeu6501

    Ай бұрын

    I remember reading about a study that showed that blasting classical music in public spaces reduced drug deals and crime rates.

  • @rexx9496
    @rexx94968 ай бұрын

    Love that final quote. That says it all.

  • @ahmadfrw1
    @ahmadfrw19 ай бұрын

    Sometimes it is not the TOD. You can have good transit in low density areas, however, if a Major Transit agency is terminating at a certain area, there would be a Suburban Transit network designed to relieve pressure on the Parkways. Freeways and Expressways, which in turn builds TOD and improves on the current Suburban Transit network.

  • @frongus47
    @frongus475 ай бұрын

    susan in her suv took that personally

  • @erinrising2799
    @erinrising27997 ай бұрын

    4:30 a bus stop in my town only recently got a sign, before that it was just a tree. I do live in a transit desert and my household only has one car so it makes it very difficult to coordinate transport for work

  • @The_Insane_Crew
    @The_Insane_Crew2 ай бұрын

    This is a amazing video to talk about this I will note if your ever want to do another video about this Look at the American city Chicago there Public transport is very important to the people who live there because 1/3 of the city Doesn’t have cars and public transportation is very important there

  • @simon8244
    @simon82448 ай бұрын

    Awesome video,really explains why some North American cities just look and feal empty

  • @boonskis
    @boonskis17 күн бұрын

    Thank you for these videos. They are incredibly perceptive: you are pulling together ideas that have been floating around my head for the past 30+ years.

  • @StLouis-yu9iz
    @StLouis-yu9iz9 ай бұрын

    Awesome video, you’re totally right! ❤

  • @pcongre
    @pcongre8 ай бұрын

    Another great video, keep'em coming! (i think the final quote is from peñalosa though, right? ; / )

  • @celspade
    @celspade2 ай бұрын

    My city of 90k+ only has two small buses with each of them covering one route. I've only ever taken public transit once and it wasn't even in my own city.

  • @julianrosas9134

    @julianrosas9134

    2 ай бұрын

    Probably because bud transit is completely impractical for all but a handful of American cities. And definitely not one with fewer than 100k people

  • @Urban_Man
    @Urban_Man2 ай бұрын

    Thanks for mentioning my hometown Guangzhou❤

  • @BoBandits
    @BoBandits8 ай бұрын

    Wow, you’re growing subscribers by the hour!!

  • @rexoliver7780
    @rexoliver77802 ай бұрын

    In the small town I live in public transit isn’t practical. These system cost so much that the cost can’t be payed out of the farebox. Also many towns are too small for these systems. At best there buses that serve only downtown. Not everyone doesn’t want or need to go there. I used to live in Wash DC that has a n excellent subway,bus and train system. Used those to get to and from work downtown. If folks had to work in the suburbs these city transit systems don’t go to suburb areas. They are designed to get people in and out of downtown but not from one suburb to another.

  • @mildlydispleased3221
    @mildlydispleased32216 ай бұрын

    Are you really suggesting that there be security checks on public transport? The only reason why North American public transport is so dangerous is due to neglect and only deprived people using it, perpetuating violence. Airport-style checks are not the answer.

  • @FlorianHWave
    @FlorianHWave4 ай бұрын

    I think the biggest problem by far is crime. I wouldn't take public transport if there are dodgy people or criminals on it, who want to harm me. Even if it's faster.

  • @dc2guy2
    @dc2guy28 ай бұрын

    Commenting for the algorithim. Keep up the great work :)

  • @via3600
    @via36002 ай бұрын

    I literally don't even bother ever checking the bus schedule cause it means nothing. I could show up at any time and have an equally likely chance of standing there half an hour. At least all the snow has melted and I can sit ground again

  • @KakiT1
    @KakiT12 ай бұрын

    I'm a writer and if I start dabbling in postapocalyptic fiction, I can just hop on to google earth and 'drive around', drinking in the inspiration. God bless (north) America!

  • @leahsuter9957
    @leahsuter99573 ай бұрын

    bro Toronto has hour long bus commute cus it’s big…..babe like I’m from rexdale I can tell you they r trying their best😭😭😭 didn’t mention the finch west lrt once

  • @AgressiveAndre

    @AgressiveAndre

    Ай бұрын

    Fr

  • @BillB-tz3ny
    @BillB-tz3ny7 ай бұрын

    Agree

  • @tomasescobarruiz9648
    @tomasescobarruiz964821 күн бұрын

    I agree with the point of your video man, public transit doesn't have to be bad, of an afterthought, we became aware of that fact in Medellín, Colombia when everybody started getting a car, and then the streets and highways became so congested during rush hour that they started preferring to use the metro system, Wich by the way has proven to be one of Colombia's best financial and political decisions ever. Pd. Can't say the same about our dear and current president Gustavo Petro, he fooled everyone into thinking a former guerrilla force participant and criminal mind, and his team of minions could be our government. Petro sucks. A lot.

  • @ST14_109
    @ST14_1092 ай бұрын

    Oh naw not Susan and her SUV

  • @ChibiSteak
    @ChibiSteakАй бұрын

    10:07 fin.

  • @DejanOfRadic
    @DejanOfRadic11 күн бұрын

    The new streetcars are so poorly designed in their seating and general comfort. The old streetcars offered numerous clear sighted window seats, with little indented window rails in which one could rest an elbow and enjoy the ride. The new cars feel like they were designed by the same people that design McDonald's....intentionally uncomfortable so that people don't stay too long.

  • @sergeyantonyukov8764
    @sergeyantonyukov87649 ай бұрын

    why does this have 120 views?

  • @qjtvaddict

    @qjtvaddict

    8 ай бұрын

    Good question

  • @achinthmurali5207
    @achinthmurali52079 ай бұрын

    I know public transit doesn’t HAVE to suck. But it does

  • @capybaratherealoneNL

    @capybaratherealoneNL

    8 ай бұрын

    move to europe!!!!!1111!!!

  • @Coffeepanda294
    @Coffeepanda2942 ай бұрын

    This comments thread is full of strawmen and doomsaying from people thinking you're out to take away their car, isn't it?

  • @gimbur6921
    @gimbur69216 ай бұрын

    Public transportation is good in china. While it’s bad in the us. Hope it gets fixed soon.

  • @e.tezani3877
    @e.tezani38775 ай бұрын

    Ameircans hate to walk but love to pay medical bills..

  • @bobbiodobbio2-UA

    @bobbiodobbio2-UA

    2 ай бұрын

    As an American, I love walking, but you know what I can hardly do because of car dependent suburbs, walk.

  • @julianrosas9134

    @julianrosas9134

    2 ай бұрын

    @@bobbiodobbio2-UA…are you actually claiming car-dependent suburbs *prevent* you from *walking*? Maybe the Eurosnobs have a point about most of us being stupid

  • @NoName-rq6bg
    @NoName-rq6bg7 ай бұрын

    As a person from Switzerland (we have the best puplic transit in europe) i prefer driving because trains are depressing, disgusting and on rush hour you’re cramped in with 14 year old wanna be americans, “asylum” f* from terrorist countries that leave their trash on the seat and waiting 30 minutes in -3 degrees on a sunday for the train to arrive.

  • @giovanigeorgis3848
    @giovanigeorgis38488 ай бұрын

    Public transit is a nightmare to mental health though, there is nothing fun about being in a speedy tube in a boring gray underground dimly lit concrete hell, with cars you can look outside the window and take in all of the nature and beauty the outdoors has to offer, and of course public transportation can’t go everywhere cars can, and public transportation has different stops that take up time compared to just going straight to your destination.

  • @RafTheDude

    @RafTheDude

    8 ай бұрын

    You make it sound like public transit is *just* a metro. As for "gray speedy tube does bad to your mental health," the opposite is true: "I don't see the fun of wanting to go home on a sea of asphalt and being stuck on stop-and-go traffic." At the very least, one doesn't have to deal with it when in transit. One can nap, text, talk to others. *Anything you want.* If anything, your words just proved why we *should* make transit better. The whole reason people use the argument "well, transit cannot go anywhere cars can" is because our roads are badly designed to force everyone to drive. It would be far more convenient that cities were a bit more condensed by not having giant parking lots so walking distances do not become a drag. When transit and road design is actually treated as a viable method, then everyone wins; People can transit and walk short distances to locations, and those still driving are not stuck in soul crushing traffic.

  • @giovanigeorgis3848

    @giovanigeorgis3848

    8 ай бұрын

    @@RafTheDude "You make it sound like public transit is just a metro." Because let's be honest, other than buses most public transport are subways and metros. " As for "gray speedy tube does bad to your mental health," the opposite is true: "I don't see the fun of wanting to go home on a sea of asphalt and being stuck on stop-and-go traffic." So let me get this straight, you'd rather be surrounded by a literal tube of concrete with no nature other than the people around you, as opposed to a scenic route home where you can look out the windows and see nature? That's awful. As for the argument of being able to do whatever you want, Ubers and taxis exist. If you're so preoccupied that you don't want to drive, literally call an uber or taxi and hop in the back seat and do whatever you want. "If anything, your words just proved why we should make transit better. " My brother in Christ do you know how to read? Or are you having ChatGPT write this for you? Because that is not what I said nor what I implied. "The whole reason people use the argument "well, transit cannot go anywhere cars can" is because our roads are badly designed to force everyone to drive." Yes, what a wonderful idea! Let's take a bus and a train off-roading on a dirt trail to get to our destination! smh. "It would be far more convenient that cities were a bit more condensed by not having giant parking lots so walking distances do not become a drag. When transit and road design is actually treated as a viable method, then everyone wins;" You anti-suburbanism people love to walk everywhere but you just essentially disproved your point by saying that walking is a chore. And it's never a everyone wins situation with road design, getting rid of parking lots would just make people park on sides of roads causing more traffic and blocking bike lanes. "People can transit and walk short distances to locations, and those still driving are not stuck in soul crushing traffic" Better yet, cars work everywhere no matter how long or short the trip is. And traffic is one of the best times to turn on your favorite music or podcast and jam your heart out, there's a reason cars have had radios standard basically since the 1950s.

  • @capybaratherealoneNL

    @capybaratherealoneNL

    8 ай бұрын

    @@giovanigeorgis3848the german ice trains are a treat to the mind, watching a movie while speeding at 200 km/h

  • @giovanigeorgis3848

    @giovanigeorgis3848

    8 ай бұрын

    @@capybaratherealoneNL A similar joy to the mind is going 200 KMH (120 freedom units iirc) on the German Autobahn. Pure joy and thrill while listening to your favorite music.

  • @roadrollerdio565

    @roadrollerdio565

    8 ай бұрын

    You need to get out more. So many metros are elevated these days and offer far better views than cars. Ntm buses, trams, cable cars and commuter rail also allow you to look out without having to focus on driving. And if you're so narrow minded abt cars, know that transit takes cars off the road, reducing traffic and allowing drivers to drive for leisure instead of necessity.