Necessary of the public transportation system

ZhiChu Huang
EAP2
July 8, 2008

Necessary of the public transportation system

In “Bus operators must buck up” (2008), by Moaz Yusuf, it explains the influence to transport operators and how to solve the problem when the oil prices rise as they are now. The author has sent a letter to make a discussion about the fuel subsidies from government if the oil price increases to a high level. But maybe it will not happen as he thought before. The rising price of oil also affects as same as people’s cost. With this reason, the government decided to keep the subsidy as before. The discussion was released, and it is helpful to transport operators. We also need to pay attention to transport operators, especially bus drivers who cannot be replaced in the short term with the oil prices’ rise. The PMBOA requested to increase ticket prices to include the upward cost, but they also do not make sure whether that way can raise the benefits. KTB’s chairman revise about public transport drivers, and also drew up a rule. He thought that should only be for personal transportation, instead of the government transport drivers who can get subsidies, because he thought that would not be impartial. He thought that idea would come true in different areas if every government made it reasonable. The authors agree with him, and also think the NPTA is in charge of making a reasonable rule for the public transportation. The LPTA has given the right to the NPTA. But the author does not agree with all of the kinds of transportation being afforded the same services. He will suggest relevant determents to provide inter-city drivers subsidies, because of its important place. Then, both the operators and the NPTA and LPTA will face the pressure that comes from the increased costs. The author agrees with the rule to increase the tickets price but the rule must be drawn up clearly and reasonably. So, the transport operators may earn much more from their customers than from government’s subsidies.

In my opinion, I agree with the increase the tickets price for public transportations, and I think the author also wanted to use this way to increase the whole public transportation system. First, to increase the transport operators’ subsidies or salaries is very important and necessary to mobilize their initiative. I have taken American buses many times; usually they do not have many buses that allowed me to choose; I have to wait for a long time if I miss a bus; and buses are always late. I think the main reason that causes this problem is that low pay leads drivers to be lazy and irresponsible. Maybe they always think their job is too boring with a low pay; some of them also need to pay lots of fee of their buses themselves, so they may lose their initiative and passion to try to do their best to their job. So, government or transport companies should increase their operators; there should be salaries or subsidies to make sure the public transportation operates normally, especially at present when the oil prices increase very quickly daily.

Second, as the article said, in my opinion the author not only asks to increase public transport operators’ pay, but also wants to upgrade and perfect the system at the same time. Now, with the high speed rise of the oil price, and reliance of too many fields, I think the public transportation needs or has to play an important role instead of more and more private cars’ being used. Now, many people who live in America have to drive their car to school or their workplace because of the discommodious public transportation. As a result, they also have to pay higher and higher oil bills. So, maybe the public transportation’s quality and quantity rise, such as the buses’ frequency and comfort, can attract lots of people to give up their private cars, and replace them with buses or subways, even though the ticket prices rise. That is because I think the rising price of tickets is still far below the increase of oil price.

Third, the better public transportation not only can make people save money, but also can help relieve the high speed rise of the oil price. Now, I think one of the main reasons lead oil price to rise is that every government wants to limit the oil use. Now, more and more people have begun to have their own cars, the demand has not become necessary; also, there are lots of problems of oil, such as the factor that oil is non-renewable resources, pollution is caused by the use of oil and there is more and more oil editions among different areas. I think there reasons lead the oil price to rise, because every government or company wants to limit the oil use. So I think using public transportation to replace the private cars is really the best way to solve the high oil price problem right now.

In conclusion, to increase public transport operators’ pay, thus increase their initiative to work, they can then attract many people to use the public transportation system, thereby government or transport companies can earn many more benefits to improve their services, and people can enjoy taking the bus instead of cars; I think that is really a virtuous cycle. At that time, people will give up their own cars and replace them by bus, because they can save much money on oil and they also can get a good feeling when take a bus; for public transportation, they can earn much more benefits, and they can raise drivers’ pay and make customers feel comfortable. So in my opinion to perfect the public transportation system is one of the best ways for government, transport companies, and people right now.

Reference

Yusuf, M. (2008, May 9). Bus operators must buck up. New Strait Times. Retrieved July 8, 2008, from LexisNexis.