An Ode to Public Transit

Public transit is for everyone.

2 minute read

February 3, 2017, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


If you hadn't noticed, mode choice became the site of protest this week when the #DeleteUber campaign responded to last weekend's taxi strike. In response to the newly Uber-less, some are advocating less use of transportation network companies (TNCs) and more use of good, old-fashioned transit.

If you're looking for some inspiration to see the benefits of riding the bus, Eric Heiman has written just such an ode, celebrating the "necessary frictions" of public transit ridership.

The op-ed begins, however, with an acknowledgement of the frustrations of riding public transit.

Yes, public transportation is often crowded and I have to stand uncomfortably close to someone I don’t know. Yes, germs galore coat the aluminum poles and railings that we cling to for dear life when the inevitable, hard inchworm lurch of the bus occurs. (And, yes, I probably get sick more often because of touching them.) Finally, yes, Lyft, Uber, and Chariot are the more convenient, cozy, safe, and better-designed options. 

But according to Heiman's account, the benefits far outweigh those drawbacks, for instance:

  • The lack of a rating system on the bus. "There’s a social aspect to [transit], but not the pushy, faux one currently required any time I summon a rideshare car on my iPhone because I’m worried that the driver might give me a 4- rather than 5-star rating for my lack of small talk."
  • "[T]here’s also a delicate we’re all in this together' camaraderie that binds us commuters…"
  • "Even small mitzvahs occasionally squeeze in, such as when a young professional offers an elderly woman his seat, or the yells of 'Back door!' when someone struggles to exit from the rear."

Heiman shares more, but his conclusion is this: transit and the interactions and experiences it requires, feels genuine because it is genuine. What's more, the empathy Heiman gains on the bus makes him a better practitioner (he's a designer in the tech-booming San Francisco, as it turns out) and a better human.

Thursday, February 2, 2017 in Design Observer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight