I have a love-hate relationship with public transportation. I’m from a small town in Arkansas so living in a big city is new to me and it’s an experience that this small town boy hasn’t quite gotten used to. Using public transportation is great because I don’t have to worry about vehicle expenses but everyone knows that public transportation has its ups and downs.

That’s why local governments are constantly looking for ways to improve the lives of their residents. Check out the examples below:

• Local government managers in Columbus, Indiana, decided that they needed to get creative in order to address the downtown parking issues for their employees. They started the Park & Ride program. Read more about this program here.
• Public transportation comes with economic impacts. Some cities see a reduction in the costs associated with traffic congestion, not only for the city budget but also for  household and business budgets.
• Take a look at these five innovations in public transportation. Then share your ideas with us in the comments section.
• Stay up-to-date with public transit on the Knowledge Network.

Has your local government implemented innovative ideas to make your public transportation more efficient and appealing? Tell us about it!

Jesse Himes
Knowledge Network Intern
jhimes@icma.org