Accounting for over one-quarter of global energy usage, transport is inextricably linked to the environment. As we’re all well aware, switching from a personal vehicle to sustainable transport is a surefire way to achieve a personal lower carbon footprint.

But such change also brings many benefits to your local community.

What is sustainable transport?

Sustainable transport encompasses modes of transport that either have no impact or a lower impact on environmental and human health. Walking, cycling, public transport, car sharing, and electric/hybrid vehicles are all examples — with walking and cycling even having a positive impact on human health.

Despite significant investments to improve public transport, active travel options and other eco-transport methods, personal vehicles remain the dominant mode of transport.

Understanding how environmentally friendly transport positively impacts our local society can motivate more people to use it. Read on as we uncover 5 ways eco-transport can help your local community.

Liveable cities

The most pressing challenge urban planners currently face is reclaiming city streets for people, not cars.

In an effort to improve air quality, reduce emissions, and encourage healthy habits, city leaders are prioritising sustainable transport as a means of limiting car use and making cities more liveable.

Today, city residents want to see an increase in green spaces, active transport routes, and mobility options that make it easy to go from A to B without a car. Cities that tick these boxes are rated amongst the best to live in and also top the charts for the best travel destinations.

Help with commuting

Let’s face it; commuting is a hassle! The mere thought of soul-sucking traffic jams and searching for parking is enough for most workers to insist on working remotely. But it need not be this way; sustainable transport can make it easy to go from A to B without a car.

In particular, specific eco-friendly transport can solve the troublesome first-and-last-mile problem (the distance a commuter needs to travel from a transit stop to their destination or vice versa).

By adding mobile transport options (such as e-scooters and bikes) close to public transport links, commuters can breeze through downtown traffic faster.

Studies show that e-scooters are ideal for most small, daily trips and commutes in urban centres. Likewise, the flexibility that ride-hailing provides in less-dense areas offers a valuable solution for commuters.

Job creation

A sustainable transport network relies on a pool of seasoned workers, which translates to the creation of many jobs. Developing an infrastructure for improved public transport, ride-hailing, and mobile transport methods calls for designers, planners, construction workers, and drivers.

Specifically, Bolt has ride-hailing drivers posted in cities all over the world! Whether it be a full-time gig or a side hustle, driving with Bolt is a flexible way to earn money.

Lower congestion

We’ve all been stuck in rush hour traffic wishing things could be different. As workers flock to and from the office, the start and end of the work day bring enormous amounts of inevitable (yet still avoidable!) congestion to our cities.

With rising urban populations and limited road infrastructure possibilities, the end solution for civic leaders is a sustainable transport network.

Naturally, congestion decreases when commuters and travellers choose green transport such as buses, trains, bikes, and e-scooters over personal vehicles.

You don’t need to be a mathematician to realise 30 single-occupancy cars take up more space than a single bus carrying the same number of people!

Moreover, with fewer personal cars on the road, there would be fewer traffic bottlenecks and thus shortened travel times!

Improved air quality

Air quality levels in the world’s biggest cities are nothing to be proud of. Nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter levels are at an unhealthy amount worldwide.

A staggering 99% of the world’s population breathes air that exceeds the legal limit set by the World Health Organisation.

So much is the scale of the problem, a record number of cities worldwide are now monitoring air quality levels – that’s over 6,000 cities!

As the number of personal vehicles continues to spiral upward, air pollution has long been a conceivable problem. Green transport helps lower the number of personal cars on the road, which, in turn, helps combat air pollution levels.

How Bolt helps you switch to eco-friendly transport

Whether it’s offsetting emissions, composting food waste or using public transport for your commutes, there are things we can all do, individually and collectively, to help heal our planet.

Opting for eco-friendly transport methods can feel like such a small change to make, but the cumulative effect of doing so, and more often, can generate a massive difference.

With flexible ride-hailing, shared cars, e-bikes and e-scooters, Bolt offers multiple sustainable transport options on demand. Our rides and mobile transport options provide alternatives to personal car use, which can contribute to reducing pollution, congestion, and noise levels when used effectively.

Download the Bolt app today for a better way to move.

5 ways sustainable transport helps (local) society

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