Another Outcome of Public Transit: Lessons in Virtue

An editorial for Strong Towns voices an idea perhaps thought, but rarely spoken: taking public transit can help you become a better person.

1 minute read

June 6, 2016, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Bus

Aleph Studio / Shutterstock

Sarah Joy Proppe begins a recent post for Strong Towns with a simple but perhaps surprising claim: "I take public transit to learn virtue." After checking her privilege, Sara goes on to make a strong case to support the claim, writing a recommended read for anyone who chooses to take traffic and anyone else who is considering the choice to take transit. How's this for supporting the cause of public transit: "I believe public transit has the capacity to shape me for good as a person, not just my physical environment and local economy."

After noting that advocates of public transit don't usually focus on virtue as an outcome of public transit, Proppe goes on to list some of the virtues she's cultivated while taking public transit in the D.C. area and the Twin Cities: patience, courage, and empathy. 

Tuesday, May 31, 2016 in Strong Towns

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

November 11, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6, 2026 - Grist

People walking in downtown St. Louis, walking past shops.

Move over, LA: St. Louis gears up for Olympics, invests millions in downtown redevelopment

The Missouri city will host the 2028 Olympic soccer group stage and knockout matches.

November 1, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

Construction in Dallas. An aerial shot of a wooden frame of an apartment building.

Dallas releases zoning code overhaul to officials

The drafted overhaul is over 400 pages long.

November 11 - Dallas Morning News

Canal street, where pedestrians are packed shoulder to shoulder.

NYC renovations for dangerous, ‘mercilessly crammed’ street delayed until 2027

Construction was supposed to begin this fall.

November 11 - Gothamist

A rendering of Midway Rising that shows people mingling in a green space between apartment buildings.

San Diego’s Midway Rising project gets greenlight from city council

The project looks to become the largest affordable housing development in California's history.

November 11 - KPBS

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.