How can you encourage public transportation use in suburban areas?

Public transportation is a key component of sustainable transportation, as it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, traffic congestion, and energy consumption. However, public transportation use is often low in suburban areas, where car ownership and driving are more prevalent and convenient. How can you encourage public transportation use in suburban areas? Here are some strategies that environmental engineers and planners can apply to promote public transit and make it more attractive and accessible for suburban residents.

1 Improve service quality and frequency

One of the main barriers to public transportation use in suburban areas is the lack of reliable, frequent, and comfortable service. Suburban residents may face long waiting times, crowded buses or trains, or limited routes and schedules. To overcome these challenges, environmental engineers and planners can improve service quality and frequency by investing in infrastructure, technology, and maintenance. For example, they can build dedicated bus lanes, rail tracks, or transit hubs to reduce travel time and increase capacity. They can also use smart systems, such as real-time information, mobile ticketing, or dynamic routing, to enhance convenience and flexibility. Moreover, they can ensure that the vehicles and facilities are clean, safe, and comfortable for passengers.

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2 Provide incentives and subsidies

Another way to encourage public transportation use in suburban areas is to provide incentives and subsidies that make it more affordable and attractive. Suburban residents may be deterred by the high cost of public transit fares, especially compared to the low cost of driving and parking. To address this issue, environmental engineers and planners can provide incentives and subsidies that lower the price of public transit or increase the cost of driving. For example, they can offer discounts, vouchers, or rewards for frequent or off-peak riders. They can also implement congestion pricing, tolls, or parking fees for drivers. Additionally, they can partner with employers, schools, or community organizations to offer transit benefits, such as free or subsidized passes, flexible work hours, or telecommuting options.

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Lynn Terlaga

Municipal Affairs at COA - Partnering with municipalities and transit authorities to provide cost-free infrastructure.
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Expanding public-private partnerships is an efficient and effective way for municipalities to get infrastructure projects funded and built. They can speed up the project's completion. A partnership can free up leadership’s time and public funds for other investments. It allows them to focus their attention and resources on more pressing areas. For example, building out bus stops may best be left to companies whose primary business it is. Municipalities would avoid all the costs involved. This includes the purchase of the benches themselves, concrete pads, installation, regular maintenance, insurance, and replacement and repairs as needed. Municipalities also benefit from indemnification and the assumption of risk.

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3 Increase connectivity and accessibility

A third strategy to encourage public transportation use in suburban areas is to increase connectivity and accessibility between different modes and destinations. Suburban residents may face difficulties in accessing public transit stations or stops, especially if they are far from their homes or workplaces. They may also have limited options for reaching their final destinations, especially if they are not well-served by public transit. To solve these problems, environmental engineers and planners can increase connectivity and accessibility by improving the integration and coordination of different modes and services. For example, they can provide bike lanes, sidewalks, or shuttle buses to connect public transit stations or stops with nearby neighborhoods or attractions. They can also offer bike-sharing, car-sharing, or ride-hailing services to complement public transit and provide more mobility choices.

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Sebastian V. Gruenwald

Consultant @ Ricondo & Associates, Inc. | Civil Engineering + Public Policy @ Purdue University
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A key element for increasing ridership of public transportation in suburban areas is to not focus too much on macro-level transportation such as regional or intercity rail without improving local connectivity. Adding a regional rail station to a suburb is great for improving accessibility to the region, but we need to ensure people can access that regional rail station. This can be done through local bus routes, improving bike pathways, and park-ride systems (Note that this option will have long-term consequences as is the least useful in the long-term.)

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4 Promote awareness and education

A fourth tactic to encourage public transportation use in suburban areas is to promote awareness and education among potential users and stakeholders. Suburban residents may lack information or knowledge about the benefits, options, and availability of public transit. They may also have negative perceptions or attitudes towards public transit, such as seeing it as inconvenient, unsafe, or socially undesirable. To change these views, environmental engineers and planners can promote awareness and education by conducting outreach, marketing, and communication campaigns. For example, they can use social media, websites, or newsletters to inform and update residents about public transit services, features, and incentives. They can also use testimonials, stories, or events to showcase the positive impacts and experiences of public transit users and advocates.

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Lynn Terlaga

Municipal Affairs at COA - Partnering with municipalities and transit authorities to provide cost-free infrastructure.
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By using OOH advertising you can target your audience by geographics, demographics, and psychographics to ensure your message is in the appropriate place adjusting your message's language, color, and tone to match your audience while reaching your target audience when they are most likely to use or consider public transit.

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5 Engage community and participation

A fifth and final approach to encourage public transportation use in suburban areas is to engage community and participation among residents and stakeholders. Suburban residents may feel disconnected or indifferent towards public transit, especially if they do not have a voice or influence in its planning and decision-making. They may also face resistance or opposition from other groups or interests, such as car owners, developers, or politicians. To overcome these obstacles, environmental engineers and planners can engage community and participation by involving and consulting residents and stakeholders in the design and implementation of public transit projects and policies. For example, they can use surveys, focus groups, or workshops to solicit feedback, preferences, and suggestions from residents and stakeholders. They can also use participatory budgeting, voting, or crowdfunding to allocate resources, priorities, and responsibilities for public transit initiatives.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Lynn Terlaga

Municipal Affairs at COA - Partnering with municipalities and transit authorities to provide cost-free infrastructure.
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Conversations about AI are everywhere.“Because it evaluates based on the entirety of the acquired facts, AI is exceptionally objective when it comes to making decisions.” When it comes to a bus bench and a place for people to sit and rest, maybe we don’t need objectivity, maybe we need compassion. Mayor John Bauters said ‘You don’t need to study whether or not people need to sit — especially people who are older, people have mobility issues, people with children, people who’ve walked along the way, or who are carrying things.” So many of us travel around with our heads down, checking our phones, it's easy to miss an elderly or disabled person struggling at the bus stop and ignore the problem.

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How can you encourage public transportation use in suburban areas?

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2

3

4

5

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1 Improve service quality and frequency

2 Provide incentives and subsidies

3 Increase connectivity and accessibility

4 Promote awareness and education

5 Engage community and participation

6 Here’s what else to consider

Environmental Engineering

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How can you encourage public transportation use in suburban areas?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Improve service quality and frequency

2 Provide incentives and subsidies

3 Increase connectivity and accessibility

4 Promote awareness and education

5 Engage community and participation

6 Here’s what else to consider

Environmental Engineering

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