Urban Areas Embracing New Modes of Transportation

Traveling around in the country, or even the suburbs, is nothing like driving in the city. Everything is much faster, people are in a rush, and everything is congested, which usually means everyone’s in a jam trying to get to work on time – literally.

Gas prices are at an all-time high, and as you sit in traffic, your car is just eating away money. And even if you have an electric car, that won’t save you from needing a recharge, which could potentially lead you to getting stuck somewhere in the city. On top of that, the maintenance costs associated with gasoline cars and electric cars are tremendous, especially if you are commuting in the city every day.

More and more people are warming up to new methods of urban travel and it’s easy to see why in this economy. Fortunately, people have a ton of options when it comes to city riding. But which ones are right for you?

Here we discuss each of the best modes for urban travel and the advantages they have to offer.

Bus

This one is the most obvious choice as it’s an option available in most areas of the country, and especially in urban areas. This public transportation system comes with the advantage that you don’t have to drive! Ultimately it helps the environment because everyone is basically carpooling together, limiting the number of cars on the road – and thereby reducing air pollution.

However, while buses usually arrive at their stops when they are supposed to, occasionally they are late, and occasionally they are early, forcing you to wait for the next one, which in turn can make you late to work, class or wherever you need to go. Additionally, space on a bus is never guaranteed and even if there is some space open, you are bound to be crammed in close proximity with others, which these days is quite a health concern.

Ultimately, you are at the mercy of others when it comes to getting where you need to go each day.

Subway

In areas where the subway is available, it offers many of the same advantages and disadvantages of public transportation. Sure, it’s better for the environment but it also puts you on a time constraint that can be difficult to work around your schedule.

By comparison to a bus, however, the subway is much faster, so even if you miss your stop, it won’t be too much longer till the next one.

That being said, you are still being shoved in close proximity to others in rush hour – but even more so, since you can stand in a subway car. Covid isn’t quite gone and the flu has always been a huge concern, so sooner or later you are bound to catch something.

Automobile

Driving is just fine, if you don’t live in a city where you have to deal with a lot of traffic. In the morning when you are trying to get to work on time or in the afternoon when you are exhausted and just trying to get home, some don't have the added worry of traffic chaos. However, most city drivers have to deal with rush hour and that means sometimes wasting away countless minutes or hours behind the wheel.

As we mentioned earlier, gas prices are hiked right now, and driving is no longer an economically viable option for everyone. Electric cars have the advantage of not using gasoline, but you still need to charge them, which means in places like California, you are going to be stuck with a hefty energy bill as you charge your vehicle day-in and day-out.

On Foot

If you don’t have a long way to go, making the commute to work on foot is the healthiest option for you and you can do it on your own time. Nevertheless, it can be exhausting to do on a daily basis, especially after a long day of work.

If you have a long way to walk, it’s definitely not the most practical option. When you are on foot, no matter how early you leave your home, you are always going to feel in a rush. If you are feeling sluggish one day, you can’t really be sure you are going to make your destination on time. Walking to work in the city, obviously poses its own dangers in terms of crime, like getting mugged or pickpocketed, or worse yet – being recognized by someone you went to high school with!

Overall, getting to work on foot might be an option on occasion but you’ll definitely want a plan B when it comes to urban traveling.

Person riding the Emerald E-bike on a bridge.

Biking

In terms of health, biking is your next best bet for urban traveling. It’s also the more practical option, allowing you to get to where you need to go more quickly. It also saves you time as you kill two birds with one stone, getting plenty of exercise each day. According to the CDC, more than 60 percent of adults in the United States are not getting the daily recommended amount of activity. Biking is the most fun way to get that in.

And since you don’t have to travel on the street, as bike lanes are usually available, you can avoid all the traffic congestion each day.

There is one problem with your standard bike, however, and its that a bike still can’t quite cover longer distances, and pushing yourself to do so will exhaust you to be sure. However, more and more people are getting on board the ebike wagon, as it offers a greater speed than manual pedaling.

Ebikes, like Emerald — a top choice for city riding — allow you to travel farther and faster compared to a standard bike as they assist you in pedaling. The Emerald bike in particular is a practical option because it also offers portability for easier storage. Ebikes tend to be more comfortable to ride and sit on, so you aren’t heading into work with aching legs.

In some cities, the speed limit for an ebike is around 20 mph, which isn’t as fast as a car, but faced with traffic, you’ll still tend to get to work much faster. It saves on gas and electricity, since bikes like Emerald use minimal electricity to recharge and can last up to 30 miles per charge. But those are just some of the benefits.

In Summary

Provided you don’t have to deal with traffic congestion day-in and day-out, continuing to drive your car around the city is a perfectly reasonable way to get around. Public transportation methods like the bus or subway are a great option if you don’t mind dealing with crowds, but you’ll be stuck dealing with a transportation schedule. Going on foot works for short distances, but for longer distances bikes, and moreover ebikes, are becoming a more popular and convenient mode of urban travel. For more info about the benefits of ebikes see our guide.

And might we suggest EMERALD, the perfect ebike for getting around town, going on adventures, and reducing your carbon footprint—in style and at an affordable price.

Emerald Bike

The features that set Emerald apart from the ebike pack: