Public Transit Options for Growing Population

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Transport System Report: A Case of New York City
1 Overview
An overview of New York City and its surrounding metropolitan area population
New York is a city located in New York State on the East Atlantic coast of the US and covers 301.4 square miles ("Geography and Origins"). It is the most populous of all cities in the United States, with about 8,419,316 people. More than one million businesses run within New York city, indicating that the city is bustling. The city commuters use the various means of transport available characterized by; 52% using public transportation means, i.e., buses, subway systems, 27.8% drive to the city while 10% walk.
The general population in the city has been increasing at an alarming rate. Over 100 years, between 1900 and 2010, the population in the city doubled. That brings the city's need to have continuous improvement in the transport system to cover for the growing population. A separate study showed that in the period between April 2010 and July 2011, there was a population increase of about 70,000 people.
Summarize the main passenger and freight modes of transport that operate in and around the city.
According to Norah, L. (2021), various transport system options are available in New York City. They mainly include:
* Taxis: These are very popular for both residents and visitors. They are easy to identify as they are all bright yellow with a yellow light on the roof, illuminating when the taxi is available. Taxi payments start from $3 and above, depending on time and distance.
* Buses: There is a fleet of about 6000 buses operated by the New York Metropolitan Transport Authority. The buses cover over 322 routes. There are two types; local and express.
Fares are roughly $2.75 for standard buses and about $6.50 for express buses.
* Subway: This is quite popular and an easy way to get around the city. The New York subway system is the largest globally, with 472 stations operating twenty hours a day across 36 lines.
* Rail: This mode of transport is less popular compared to the subway. The trains primarily ferry passengers into the city center from the peripheral parts of the city.
* Ferry: 2 companies mainly offer transport; NYC Ferry service and Staten Island Ferry. NYC Ferry offers six lines with twenty one terminals and twenty eight boats connecting Manhattan with Brooklyn and Queens. The price for a one-way trip is about $2.75, similar to the subway and bus system. The Staten Island Ferry operates between Manhattan and Staten Island and is free.
* Bicycle: New York has a bike hire program where you can drop-off and pick-up at various points accessible to locals and visitors. The price ranges at $12 per day and about $24 for a 3-day pass.
* Walking: This would only be suitable when exploring the city. New York City is quite big, and walking across different destinations would not be ideal.
* Helicopter: This mode is unpopular; it is mainly used by busy executives but can be ideal for good site-seeing tours.
* Hop-on Hop-off Bus: These buses follow routes around the city that stop at all major attractions for visitors to visit.
Location of New York City relative to its suburbs via land, water, and air transport networks
New York is surrounded by five main suburbs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.
The Bronx is the northernmost borough of New York City. Brooklyn is the most famous of the five. It has a long beachfront and is the Coney Island home, which is quite a famous amusement ground. Manhattan has the largest population and is the home to most city skyscrapers, which contains major business centers in the city. It is divided into three sub-regions; uptown, midtown, and downtown. Queens is the largest and the most diverse ethnically. It consists of African Americans, Dutch, and Caucasians. It is the site of Citi Field, Shea Stadium, and New York Mets.
Staten Island is the most suburban. It connects to Brooklyn via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and to Manhattan by the Free State Island Ferry. It is home to one of the largest urban parks in the US, The Freshkills Park.
2. Assessment
Strengths and weaknesses of the current transport system in New York City
Strengths
Affordability: Most transport modes within New York City are quite affordable; they go as low as $2.75, which is quite fair for the average New York resident and even visitors. For example, fares for buses range from $2.75 to $6.5, subway fares, on the other hand, are $2.75.
Easy accessibility: Depending on the destination, it is quite easy for any resident or visitor to access their means of transport. For example, if they need to travel to the outer boroughs of Manhattan, they can either choose the bus, subway, or even the Ferry, which are all quite accessible within the city.
Versatility: There are various modes of transport to choose from. That is all dependent on the destination, speed to get to the destination. For example, one could opt for a bicycle to move around the city, a busy executive would, on the other hand, opt for helicopters.
Weaknesses
The subway is slow: This was done intentionally after a train crash in 1995 that killed a conductor and injured many people. According to Raymond, K. (2018), through research, it has been proved that trains can run fast without compromising on safety with competent management.
Poor maintenance: This can be explained by aging technology, crumbling infrastructure, and funds depleted that should be used to ensure the maintenance of the subway and trains.
Overcrowding: Generally, the average ridership on the subway trains has increased significantly over the years from about four million trips daily in the 1990s to about six million today attributable to more decentralization of the city, increase in the general population.
Inefficiencies in time management: Overcrowding of the subway leads to the system being overwhelmed, the platforms getting clogged hence preventing trains from leaving stations in good time.
How to address problems identified with the urban transport...