Transit Design: Inspiring the Next Generation of Transit Riders

Millions of young people utilize the services of school buses every day, yet most do not become public transit users as adults. The public transportation industry could expand their ridership base if proactive steps were implemented to elevate children’s perception of public transit with the goal of encouraging their continuous patronage into and throughout adulthood. In order to achieve this goal, collaborations with local schools can introduce applied educational and promotional programs touting the environmental, social, and economic advantages of public transportation. Furthermore, integration of the design process into transit planning is paramount to attracting new riders by providing well-lit, safe, and aesthetically pleasing facilities. While early childhood education will provide awareness and knowledge for children about the benefits of choosing public transit, well-planned and effective design of these facilities will stir excitement so that, as adults, using public transportation becomes an informed preference. There are many possible factors that contribute to the decline in ridership from youth to adulthood. Some of the more practical reasons are lack of accessibility to services and inefficiency of travel in terms of time when using mass transit. However, in communities where effective public transportations systems are in place, or where funds are available for the development of such services, transit companies find themselves struggling to overcome other hurdles. To some potential rider/customer populations, public transportation systems are thought to have negative connotations based on false perceptions that they are unsafe, inefficient, uncleanly, and portray an undesirable dependence of the rider. Not only are some of these concerns unfounded, but they have put forth difficult challenges for those companies anxious to recruit and maintain lifetime riders. So why then are perceptions of a school bus at a young age and of a metro bus in adulthood so disjointed? Importantly, what actions can be taken to form lasting, positive opinions about mass transit systems from an early age?