I met Bruce Wilson waiting for the No. 52 bus headed south.
The 57-year-old construction worker was headed to pick up his son. He has taken public transportation for 42 years and knows most of the routes across the city. Like many Americans, traveling by bus is cheaper for him than driving.
“I kinda dig the system,” he said. “I don’t have a car, and I ain’t gonna try to get one with gas this high.”
Across the country, transportation systems are introducing new features like wireless Internet access aboard buses and heated seating at shelters.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority plans to roll out new buses with amenities like more comfortable cushions and better air conditioning to lure riders needing to travel affordably.
The new buses run on compressed natural gas, allowing greener fuel to replace diesel-powered buses, said Bob Golden, assistant chief engineer of bus maintenance for the transportation authority. Next is hybrid electric buses.
“They are in fact better for the environment,” Golden said.
2.6 million
Number of trips Americans took on public transportation across the United States from January to March, according to the American Public Transportation Association
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Page compiled from Tribune news services
