When people are seen waiting at the bus stop, it’s easy to think that (a) They’re broke, (b) They have no other way of getting to their destination, or (c) They want to ride the bus for some absurd reason. The real answer lies somewhere between (a) and (b), but certainly not (c) because in Broward County, there’s no reason anyone would want to suffer through bumpy, unpredictable bus rides unless they had to. Everyone dreams of the luxuries that their cars have to offer, such as proper air circulation, adequate cleanliness, and flexibility…precisely everything that public transportation lacks. A proper transportation system is supposed to provide a valuable service that saves students money and reduces traffic congestion.
According to Broward County Transit (BCT), there are 292 fixed route buses, 28 express buses and 78 community buses that cover 19 cities, and serve approximately 125,000 passengers on a daily basis.Based on data from the United States Census Bureau, as of 2012 the total population in Broward County was 1,838,844, which means the public buses serve less than ten percent of the county’s population each day. This low percentage of bus riders suggests that there may be a few major faults with this service that have convinced most people not to ride the bus.
I have noticed some of these flaws are evident before even getting on the bus. For starters, most bus stops, which consist of faded signs and green benches, are stationed on the pavement where it’s often splattered with a mixture of dried gum and mold. Worse still, some bus stops sit lopsidedly in the middle of the grass. You shouldn’t have to walk across the road from civilization into the wilderness, stumble through overgrown grass and weeds, and fear an ambush by mosquitoes just to get to the bus stop. It’s not the jungle. It’s South Florida.
Neither should you have to shiver in the pouring rain or stand in the middle of a deep puddlebecause there’s no shelter. This is not how people should start swimming lessons. Currently, BCT reports a total of 4,518 designated bus stops, but only 877 bus shelters.
In addition to these setbacks, there’s also the worrisome matter of when the bus will arrive. It’s hard to predict whether it will sail round the corner within good time, whizz past the bus stop 7 minutes early, or suddenly break down in the distance. Whatever happens, if you miss the bus, then it’s at least another 20 minute wait until the next one.
By the time you actually get on the bus, that’s another story within itself. The lack of cleanliness is quite evident at times, in the air just as much as everywhere else. Whether it be walking on the sandy floor peppered with dirt, sidestepping empty water bottles, or holding my breath as long as possible to avoid the acrid smells that tend to linger in the air, personal experience has taught me that hygiene is not a commonality to be found on public buses.
In May 2014, the local Fox station WSVN reported frequent sightings of cockroaches on Broward buses, which didn’t sit well with passengers, who filed a total of 23 complaints with BCT as early as January, but received no responsive action. I can imagine that having a cockroach hitch a lift on your backpack or sit peacefully on your lap can be quite discomforting. It certainly would be a deterrent for most passengers, me included.
Another impediment is the obstruction of view due to the large advertisements that cover the bus. It may not seem like a problem at first, but at nighttime, when the lights are on inside, it’s very difficult to see where the bus is going, so passengers can’t tell how far away they are from their respective stops or if they have already passed them.
Despite all of these complications, people should have every reason to want to ride the bus, mainly because it saves money. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, transportation is “the second largest expense for most households,” consuming 25% of household income. What with monthly car payments and high insurance, operating a vehicle can take a hefty chunk out of a college student’s tight budget. If the public transit system provided adequate service for passengers, it would most likely encourage more people to ride the bus, and, in turn, this funding would support the use of additional buses and possibly an increase in other modes of public transportation, like high speed trains. It’s not enough to have the Tri-Rail, South Florida’s commuter train, chugging along like it’s just come out of retirement, and no amount of advertising is going to convince me that this train singlehandedly suffices in such a bustling region.
In the past, both Governors Jeb Bush and Rick Scott turned down funding to set up a high speed train, despite fervent opposition. Imagine what Florida would be like if these trains were operating in conjunction to an active bus system. Then, Broward County Transit would be a force to reckon with.
Utilizing public transportation works wonders as it protects the environment just as much as it does the change in students’ pockets. With more fuel efficient buses in operation, there wouldn’t be so much traffic congestion, which only frustrates drivers and forces them to spend additional time traveling to their destinations. But all of these golden advantages are clouded by flaws that Broward County Transit has yet to fix. If transportation can work in cities like New York City and Seattle, what’s stopping it from working here?
