In the old days, people quietly sat through their drive to work or sitting on the local bus with closed eyes during their morning commute. That is if they had the chance to sit down, instead of having to stand all the way on a very crowded metro or bus. Today, thanks to the changing transportations landscape, our opportunities are much less gloomy and more uplifting.
Commutes can be fun, productive, social, uplifting, and travellers have the opportunity to choose how to spend their time on the road.
Rideshares:
Rideshares allow travellers to share their rides with others: This not only means a reduction in fuel, road cost and car maintenance bills but also, people travelling in the same direction can share their rides. They can alternate who drives and who sits in the car as a passenger—according to various researches conducted amongst city drivers, having to drive even one day less a week mounts to higher mental wellbeing. Travellers can also have a more sociable experience, and if they choose to, they can engage in friendly discussions and build friendships during their rides. On the other side, they can also choose to rest, read or play on their mobile phone, listen to an audiobook or podcast, or even watch a show. Proactively using the commute time for working is another way to increase productivity and even spend fewer hours at the working place.
Bike-shares:
Choosing to take micromobility vehicles such as shared bikes to enable people to reach their destination easier, faster and often in much less stress-fuelled settings. Instead of sitting in traffic jams and hunting for the last parking place in front of the office, people take bike rides and park their vehicles quickly and stress-free in the allocated bike parking areas. For example, exercise during a bike ride also shown to improve mental as well as physical wellbeing.
Public transport:
With the appearance of micromobility vehicles on the roads, the public transport experience is adjusted, and people can use public transport differently. By introducing public transport services to underserved and less remote areas, city planning enables people to commute to urban areas on busses instead of single-river cars. This is not only a more eco-friendly solution but also enables traversers to have a more predictable and relaxed journey to reach their destination at work, school or other essential services. Public transportation networks have the power to reduce city problems such as congestion, traffic accidents, energy consumption and pollution emissions.
With adequate planning and enabling people to have access to sufficient public transportation networks, they can travel safely, cost-effectively and arrive at their destination more relaxed and in a better mood.