Why is Canada more public transit culture vs the US that more car culture?

[Bubble99]

I have notice more people in Canada take public transit but in the US out side of say New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia and may be San Francisco and LA proper the US is more car culture country than say Canada.

I“m thinking race, demographics are different in Canada vs the US in the 50s, 60s and 70s being more people from Europe also wealth may be part where the US has a stronger middle class than say Canada in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Also I hear Canada had higher immigration in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s than the US.

Also Canadian cities and suburbs are normally more dense than the US cities and suburbs. I’m thinking higher density means the city can spend more on public transit and have better service.

 

[bousozoku]

After The Great Depression, Americans were put to work building national highways, not national railways. Later, the air freight and air travel industry came along, further damaging chances for trains.

In San Francisco, it might be faster to walk than take the bus. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) generally works where it goes, as does CalTrain. Philadelphia has reasonable public transit, and reaches out past the city's borders, even into New Jersey and Delaware. New York City's public transit is pretty amazing in that it's still going and it's cleaner now.

However, compared to Japan where you can set your watch by the train arrival, I've yet to encounter a bus, train, or trolley that is on time wherever I've used one in the U.S.A.. There is a train route from Philadelphia to Trenton, New Jersey that is always about 10 minutes late. They could probably start the train 15 minutes early to get to the New York City connector train, but they never seemed to get that done and people wait almost an hour for the next connector train.

Transit in the U.S.A. always seems to be underfunded and under budget cuts.

 

[scorpio vega]

Is Canadian public transit as dangerous to use as America’s? Here in America the displaced people ride the buses all day and night because they are free thus they sleep or eat.

And many are aggressive

 

[hg.wells]

Is Canadian public transit as dangerous to use as America’s? Here in America the displaced people ride the buses all day and night because they are free thus they sleep or eat.

And many are aggressive

I wouldn’t say all of America. In Florida busses are not free to ride.

 

[eyoungren]

After The Great Depression, Americans were put to work building national highways, not national railways. Later, the air freight and air travel industry came along, further damaging chances for trains.

In San Francisco, it might be faster to walk than take the bus. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) generally works where it goes, as does CalTrain. Philadelphia has reasonable public transit, and reaches out past the city's borders, even into New Jersey and Delaware. New York City's public transit is pretty amazing in that it's still going and it's cleaner now.

However, compared to Japan where you can set your watch by the train arrival, I've yet to encounter a bus, train, or trolley that is on time wherever I've used one in the U.S.A.. There is a train route from Philadelphia to Trenton, New Jersey that is always about 10 minutes late. They could probably start the train 15 minutes early to get to the New York City connector train, but they never seemed to get that done and people wait almost an hour for the next connector train.

Transit in the U.S.A. always seems to be underfunded and under budget cuts.

I would just add here regarding trains…

There were at least two major accidents involving passenger and freight trains that affected things. The first, in the 1940s instituted a national speed limit on all tracks. The train industry had a choice. They could either adopt new technology or using the old technology limit trains to a top speed of 81mph. The industry chose to limit train speeds. The second accident decades later forced the industry to adopt new technology.

However, because the majority of track in America is old (really old) speeds are still limited. This is a major reason there is no high speed rail in America. Even Amtrak's Acela, which has problems of its own, is limited in the speed it can do and only for certain stretches. And that train operates only on the east coast. It does not help that there are multiple owners of track.

Right now, there are multiple initiatives to bring high speed rail between certain communities (San Franciso/Los Angeless, Dallas/Houston) but these are all in the planning/securing stages.

 

[decafjava]

Hmmm not sure I agree, public transport in big cities in Canada are well organised and used but in many suburbs, smaller cities and towns the car is still king. I know I have family in Abbotsford, BC (in the Lower Mainland near Vancouver) and while there are buses the network is nowhere as complete as in cities (forget Europe) most people use cars.

 

[eyoungren]

Here in America the displaced people ride the buses all day and night because they are free thus they sleep or eat.

You can't do that in Phoenix, AZ (which last I checked is still part of America). The bus system here does not run 24/7 and you have to pay.

 

[Gregg2]

I think you can ride the subways in the US pretty much all day. You have to pay to get past the turnstiles, then you can stay underground. I'm not sure how many (or if any at all) close for a few hours each day. Even then, you'd need security personnel to move people back up to the streets.

 

[scorpio vega]

You can't do that in Phoenix, AZ (which last I checked is still part of America). The bus system here does not run 24/7 and you have to pay.

Ours tinder from 6 am till 11 pm. It’s been free since Covid.

 

[Richard8655]

The public transportation system in my US city and surrounding suburbs is excellent. It's clean, efficient, and saves me money over car expenses and reduces frustration (like lower BP). And much better for the environment. I couldn't imagine slogging my way to work an hour each way in bumper to bumper traffic. To me, why people make that choice when public trans is available is unfathomable.

I think there may be something to Canadians being more attracted to it than in the US. Americans are very individualistic and often don't want to share their space with strangers. It's also become a class thing where you must be somehow "poor" and can't afford to drive. Canadians and Europeans less so, and see themselves more as part of the social community. Just a theory.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

You can't do that in Phoenix, AZ (which last I checked is still part of America). The bus system here does not run 24/7 and you have to pay.

I've seen plenty of people on the light rail that don't pay for a ticket.. I've only seen a person checking tickets a few times. I like to take it from Mesa to Phoenix for Diamondback games..

 

[eyoungren]

I've seen plenty of people on the light rail that don't pay for a ticket.. I've only seen a person checking tickets a few times. I like to take it from Mesa to Phoenix for Diamondback games..

I think the light rail is different for some reason. The PDs don't seem to patrol it much.

Speaking of Mesa, that's where my work is located. Used to drive there every day, but with COVID I was able to change that to 100% work from home. I'd use the light rail, but unfortunately the West Valley is the red-headed step child to the East Valley and the light rail therefore does not come out to 107th Avenue where I could easily pick it up.

 

[Herdfan]

I've seen plenty of people on the light rail that don't pay for a ticket.. I've only seen a person checking tickets a few times. I like to take it from Mesa to Phoenix for Diamondback games..

I know that no one did after the WS games. Paid going down, but not going back. Didn't really matter as I bought the 1-day unlimited rides pass so they got my money.

I'd use the light rail, but unfortunately the West Valley is the red-headed step child to the East Valley and the light rail therefore does not come out to 107th Avenue where I could easily pick it up.

Didn't they recently extend it up that way some?

Plus, you are getting a Buc-ee's, so 😛

 

[Bubble99]

I wouldn’t say all of America. In Florida busses are not free to ride.

Well in the greater Vancouver and greater Toronto area the average wait time for a city bus is it not 15 minutes where in most US cities the average wait time is 30 minutes and on weekends the bus runs only every hour or many times not at all.

That may explain why public transit has higher ridership in Canada.

 

[eyoungren]

Didn't they recently extend it up that way some?

Plus, you are getting a Buc-ee's, so 😛

Yeaaaahhhhh…Desert Sky Mall. Or at least the last I heard they were talking about it. Haven't been over there in a while. It's farther now than it used to be before we moved house.

And it's Goodyear getting Buc-ees! Stupid Goodyear!

Oh yeah. Goodyear's getting WinCo too. Been waiting a long time for that as the closest one is Bell Road in Glendale. This will be MUCH closer.

Fazoli's is back too! The closest one outside Sky Harbor is in Mesa.

 

[Herdfan]

And it's Goodyear getting Buc-ees! Stupid Goodyear!

Hey, it's closer to you than me. And I will still drive down for a BBQ sandwich.

Oh yeah. Goodyear's getting WinCo too. Been waiting a long time for that as the closest one is Bell Road in Glendale. This will be MUCH closer.

Had never heard of them. Looks like a cool store. Will have to check one out. We go to the Aldi on Bell at least once a month and the WinCo looks to be on the way back to 17.

We are kind of annoyed that Prescott has a Trader Joe's, but not an Aldi. Not even one in Flag.

Fazoli's is back too! The closest one outside Sky Harbor is in Mesa.

And just saw on the news that Phoenix is getting 20 new Bojangle's. Will make the drive for that chicken.

 

[bousozoku]

I would just add here regarding trains…

There were at least two major accidents involving passenger and freight trains that affected things. The first, in the 1940s instituted a national speed limit on all tracks. The train industry had a choice. They could either adopt new technology or using the old technology limit trains to a top speed of 81mph. The industry chose to limit train speeds. The second accident decades later forced the industry to adopt new technology.

However, because the majority of track in America is old (really old) speeds are still limited. This is a major reason there is no high speed rail in America. Even Amtrak's Acela, which has problems of its own, is limited in the speed it can do and only for certain stretches. And that train operates only on the east coast. It does not help that there are multiple owners of track.

Right now, there are multiple initiatives to bring high speed rail between certain communities (San Franciso/Los Angeless, Dallas/Houston) but these are all in the planning/securing stages.

One stretch of track in Northeast Philadelphia was supposedly good for up to 150 mph for Acela. The tracks next to my apartment were not.

Our California high-speed rail started with Fresno to San Jose, for what reason, no one seems to know. However, getting from San Francisco to Los Angeles by train requires taking a bus from Bakersfield right now, as Amtrak doesn't go the full trip.

 

[Herdfan]

One stretch of track in Northeast Philadelphia was supposedly good for up to 150 mph for Acela. The tracks next to my apartment were not.

Our California high-speed rail started with Fresno to San Jose, for what reason, no one seems to know. However, getting from San Francisco to Los Angeles by train requires taking a bus from Bakersfield right now, as Amtrak doesn't go the full trip.

We won't ever have high-speed rail here. Too much liability. In Europe, if you jump the fence and get hit by a 200mph train, that's on you. Here, there will be 100's of lawyers lined up to extract money from the operator.

 

[bousozoku]

We won't ever have high-speed rail here. Too much liability. In Europe, if you jump the fence and get hit by a 200mph train, that's on you. Here, there will be 100's of lawyers lined up to extract money from the operator.

I understand that. There was a SEPTA bus crash into a light pole one day. People rushed to get on the bus to claim an injury.

 

[eRondeau]

I think your statement is accurate in very large Canadian cities such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. I'm in a small city in Southern Ontario and although public transit exists here it's heavily subsidized and nobody ever uses it. The buses I see go by are usually empty. We have an inter-city passenger train service called VIA Rail but most people only use it to get to/from downtown Toronto. To those of us living outside the Greater Toronto Area, it's a completely different world.

 

[eyoungren]

We won't ever have high-speed rail here. Too much liability. In Europe, if you jump the fence and get hit by a 200mph train, that's on you. Here, there will be 100's of lawyers lined up to extract money from the operator.

Another issue (at least mine anyway) is trust. Aside from a certain segment of the public, most people do not trust Amtrak. When Amtrak wrecks out it makes the news and it's usually pretty horrible. But, AFAIK, Amtrak is the only passenger carrying train line in America so if you want to travel coast to coast its Amtrak.

Other accidents like the train operator that was busy with their phone and took a curve at high speed does not speak well to public trust. People tend to suffer the 'dangers' of air travel because domestic flights are 6 hours or less. The public won't suffer that with trains that take much longer to get places. Add in high speeds and this is (to me) in large part why only train enthusiasts and people with a lot of time to kill take the train.

 

[masotime]

However, compared to Japan where you can set your watch by the train arrival, I've yet to encounter a bus, train, or trolley that is on time wherever I've used one in the U.S.A.

It's not just Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong are similar. The US is basically a third world country when it comes to public transit.

 

[Beefbowl]

We got light rail in Portland (OR) when I was a teenager in the 80s and I rode it for years. For the last decade or so though it has gotten supremely sketchy, and honestly I don’t want to be trapped in a car with someone who might decide that I’m looking at them funny and need a good stabbing. If it’s 2 miles or less and not time critical I’ll probably walk but anything more than that is personal vehicle time.

I really miss the days when the worst thing I had to deal with was someone talking to the entire car about Jesus for the length of my commute.

 

[bousozoku]

It's not just Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong are similar. The US is basically a third world country when it comes to public transit.

Singapore has come a long way since 1964.

Many Americans want unlimited freedom, whatever that might mean at the time.

When my parents, aunt and uncle visited Philadelphia, I had them riding the Market-Frankford Elevated/Subway train to the city center, so that we could meet my cousin and his wife. They almost had heart attacks having to be so close to non-white people (of which I'm one) because the train cars were so packed at the time.

I remember it being much more packed at rush hour on the way to Tokyo. I started to fall, but like dominoes, I fell into the next person and the whole line sort of fell until the final one propped himself up, and it all pushed back until I was standing much better.

 

[eyoungren]

We got light rail in Portland (OR) when I was a teenager in the 80s and I rode it for years. For the last decade or so though it has gotten supremely sketchy, and honestly I don’t want to be trapped in a car with someone who might decide that I’m looking at them funny and need a good stabbing. If it’s 2 miles or less and not time critical I’ll probably walk but anything more than that is personal vehicle time.

I really miss the days when the worst thing I had to deal with was someone talking to the entire car about Jesus for the length of my commute.

In the early to mid-90s I used to visit my cousins in the Bay Area (California). At some point they were forced to move because BART wanted to drop in a station and track exactly where their house was.

One of the times I was up there I took BART into SF and back (Concord, CA) just for the experience. It's not the 90s anymore though and a lot of what I hear about the BART now isn't good.