Local governments need to do more in terms of making public transportation more accessible for everyone, no matter what the social status, race, or economic class. In my hometown of Columbus, Georgia, the public transportation system is almost non-existent. The buses that do exist only travel in the downtown district, which means that the only people who are in walking distance of the bus stops are the people in public housing systems, hospitals, or lofts. The majority of the people living in these areas generate low income and more often than not struggle economically. As a result, the bus system contains the members of this low socioeconomic class in the downtown area and rarely carries them outside of the downtown area, which is only a small fraction of the area in which businesses operate in the city. This situation in the small city of Columbus is reflected in many other cities, where public transportation is not supported because most of the financial backing goes to the suburban areas.
In America, many modern day suburban areas seem to be separated by race due to various types of urban sprawl. As a result of the various types of urban sprawl, neighborhoods and communities seem to be segregated strictly along racial lines. Robert Bullard discusses these neighborhood discrimination situations in “The Anatomy of Sprawl”, stating “apartheid-type employment, housing, development, and transportation policies have resulted in limited mobility, reduced neighboring options, decreased residential choices, and diminished job opportunities for African Americans and other people of color who are concentrated in the cities.” The style of many of the neighborhoods today are a result of these 'apartheid' policies. The higher income neighborhoods and gated communities contain mostly white people, these neighborhoods mostly created as a result of urban sprawl by white people from other areas, when black people started moving in. This 'white flight' has lead to the constant expansion of suburbs, while public housing and inner city housing is mainly African American. These suburban communities are made almost exclusive to white people because of discrimination in the housing market. White landowners will sell to white people at cheaper prices than colored people, leading to less black people in certain areas. Because of the 'apartheid' policies in modern America, there are many issues in terms of racial equality in public transportation.
Discrimination by race has existed in the United States for many years, and many of the unbalances in public transportation are a result of the long history of discrimination. Andrea Bernstein and Nancy Solomon discuss a particular case of issues in Clayton County. MARTA, the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transportation Authority, does not include Clayton County because the county voted to not be a part of the system. Back then, Clayton county was majority white. Clayton County recently eliminated all bus service, but the demographics of the county have shifted to majority black people. Back in the 70s, when Clayton county made that decision, public transit was associated with crime and poverty. Many people associated black people with these same things today. Many people in Atlanta describe MARTA as 'sketch' or 'shady' because of the type of people who use the bus.
“Back of the Bus: Mass Transit, Race, and Inequality.” By Andrea Bernstein and Nancy Solomon. American Radio Works. WNYC, New York. Podcast.
Bullard, Robert D. “Anatomy of Sprawl.” Sprawl City: Race, Politics, and Planning in
Atlanta. Eds. Robert D. Bullard, Glenn S. Johnson, and Angel O. Torres.
Washington D.C.: Island Press, 2000. 1-20.
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