Public Transportation Expands Around the World

 

By Brent Hurd

Many governments are promoting above and underground transit¹ systems to fight increasing congestion².

Urban trains are appearing even in the wide expanses of the western United States, in places like Dallas, a Texas city known for oil riches and big cars. 

"In Texas, we are not very used to riding a train around the city. But actually, Dallas and Houston have both started light rail systems. It is very popular in both cities." This is Brewster McCracken, a city council member in the Texas capital, Austin, says.
 
Its citizens recently voted for a new public train similar to those in Dallas and Houston. The Austin plan will use existing railroad tracks already in place throughout the city.

What is happening in Texas reflects a growing trend elsewhere in the United States, says William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association. "In the last several years, public transportation in America has undergone a renaissance," Voters across the United States are supporting public transit systems like the one in Austin. "When you look at all of the year 2004, some 42 out of 53 referenda were passed. It was not uncommon³ ten years ago for more than half the referenda to fail. What it shows is that in many places, the public is ready to invest in public transportation." 

But a majority of Americans still commute⁴ with cars and most transportation funds are spent on building roads. Alan Pisarski is a transportation consultant⁵ and author of "Commuting⁶ in America." He says the excitement over public transportation in America is "an expression of people's frustration⁷. There is a lot of discomfort⁸ and unhappiness around the country about congestion and about transportation services in general. I think there is a feeling of trying anything that is going to help."

In 1900, many US cities had extensive urban rail systems. But with the arrival of the automobile⁹, most of them disappeared by the 1950s. Now many cities are returning to what they had 100 years ago.

In other countries, riding buses, trains or subways are part of everyday life.  "Many countries support public transportation to a much greater degree than happens in the United States, particularly in Europe. In other places in the world that are developing cities, there is a tremendous growth of investment in public transit. In China city, for example, after city is building metro¹⁰ systems. Throughout Southeast Asia, certainly in the capital cities, over the last two or three decades have built major rail systems. In South America we see not only rail systems being built, but we see some of the most innovative¹¹ use of public transit buses as anywhere in the world."

Rising levels of pollution from cars is also leading to more investment in public transportation. Mike Ashforth, a historian of London's underground system, he says urban transport can help cities develop without spoiling the environment with excessive greenhouse gas emissions¹². "The main impact of the underground is that it can reduce the amount of surface transport which in many cities depends on the internal combustion¹³ engine. The one advantage that electrically delivered urban transport has is that it is relatively¹⁴ clean at the point of delivery. It can also carry far more many people in terms of the amount of energy used."

Many analysts¹⁵ say the growth of public transportation does not challenge the automobile but rather provides another choice to commuters. As a rising number of people want to go to an infinite number of places at any time, public transportation may be the answer.

For focus, this is Brent Hurd.

注释：
Dallas 达拉斯 （美国得克萨斯州东北部城市）
light rail 轻轨
American Public Transportation Association 美国公共交通联合会
undergo 经历
renaissance 复兴时期
referenda 投票（单数为referendum）
congestion 堵塞
subway 地铁
metro system 地下铁道系统
spoil 损坏
combustion engine 内燃机

1 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

2 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

3 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

4 commute   

vi.乘车上下班；vt.减(刑)；折合；n.上下班交通

参考例句：

• I spend much less time on my commute to work now.我现在工作的往返时间要节省好多。
• Most office workers commute from the suburbs.很多公司的职员都是从郊外来上班的。

5 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

6 commuting   

交换（的）

参考例句：

• I used the commuting time to read and answer my mail. 我利用上下班在汽车中的时间来阅读和答复给我的函电。
• Noncommuting objects are as real to the mathematicians as commuting objects. 对于数学家来说，不可交换的对象与可交换的对象是一样真实的。

7 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

8 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

9 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

10 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

11 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

12 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

13 combustion   

n.燃烧；氧化；骚动

参考例句：

• We might be tempted to think of combustion.我们也许会联想到氧化。
• The smoke formed by their combustion is negligible.由它燃烧所生成的烟是可忽略的。

14 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

15 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。