People
The Power of Public Transport
The benefits of public transport makes our cities, our lives and our planet better.
The Many Benefits of Public Transport
Public transport is one of the most sustainable and safest modes of transport. It brings benefits to all of society; improving the lives of people, guaranteeing a healthy planet, and stimulating technological, economic and societal progress.
Planet
Progress
People: Connecting Lives
- Accessibility & Affordability
Public transport means equal opportunities. Access to jobs, schools, hospitals, commerce – all the places that make up daily life. And it does so at just 1/16 of the cost of owning a car. Public authorities guarantee reliable services with fair fares, often discounted or free for certain groups. It’s tackling transport poverty head-on – so everyone has equal access to opportunities. Put simply – public transport is an investment we can’t afford not to make. - Healthy, active lifestyle
There’s ‘sport’ right there in ‘tranSPORT’! Public transport gets people moving. Most journeys involve walking or cycling, and these small bursts of activity add up to real health benefits – well-being, mental health, and weight management. While travelling, it’s time for yourself: read, listen to music, call loved ones. The combination of walking, cycling and public transport isn’t just good transport policy – it’s good health policy too. - Connecting people
Public transport brings people together. Every day. Millions of journeys. Millions of moments with friends, family, neighbours, strangers. It’s one of the few places where people from different backgrounds travel side by side – sharing smiles, starting conversations, offering help. The journey becomes part of the experience. Public transport doesn’t just connect places. It connects lives. - Safer journeys
Public transport is safer. Much safer. Railways are the safest form of land transport in Europe. Buses and coaches account for less than 2% of road casualties. With modern, well-maintained systems, passengers travel with confidence. The International Social Security Association’s Vision Zero aims for zero fatalities on our roads – and public transport is essential to achieving it. Fewer cars mean fewer accidents and safer streets for everyone.
Planet: Shaping Places
- Clean Air
Cleaner journeys mean cleaner air. Public transport produces far fewer pollutants per passenger kilometre than cars, reducing impact on streets, neighbourhoods and health. Over 80% of city dwellers breathe air that fails WHO guidelines. When more people travel together, emissions fall and cities become healthier. As buses go zero-emission, benefits grow even more – quieter streets, fewer fumes, better environments for everyone. - Climate action
Public transport is one of the smartest climate choices we can make. After walking and cycling, it’s the most climate-friendly travel option – buses are twice as efficient as cars, trains four times more efficient. The impact is immediate. Switching to public transport cuts emissions today, not decades from now. Integral to COP and national climate plans, public transport is a key solution for tackling climate change and creating a cleaner, greener world. - Space to breathe
More green space. More places to play. More room to meet. Public transport makes this possible. One full bus replaces 40 cars, a metro replaces 600, commuter trains up to 1,500. Cities are reclaiming road space for pedestrians and cyclists, and people love it. More public transport means fewer cars, returning streets to people not traffic. Cities designed for living, not just driving. - Noise reduction
Road traffic can be loud. In fact, it’s Europe’s biggest source of noise pollution, disrupting sleep and affecting health. But when more people choose public transport, traffic volumes and noise levels drop. Residents in pedestrianised centres notice the difference immediately. Electric buses make streets quieter still. Public transport creates peaceful places to live, benefiting entire communities with quieter, healthier environments for all.
Progress: Powering the future
- Boosting the economy
Public transport is an economic powerhouse. Every €1 invested generates €5 in wider value. Connecting people to jobs and opportunities, supporting tourism, increasing property values, regenerating communities. European public transport contributes €130-150 billion annually and creates 25% more jobs than equivalent road investment. These investments benefit construction, manufacturing, IT, and countless local SMEs. Public transport isn’t a cost – it’s an investment that powers entire economies. - Innovation
Public transport leads innovation. Electric vehicles? Public transport pioneered them before electric cars went mainstream. Fully autonomous metros have operated since 1981. Today, smartphones make planning and paying for journeys easier than ever. Behind the scenes, the sector is engaged in new research and development – hydrogen power, AI, cross-border digital ticketing, and autonomous vehicles. And since you’re not driving, journey time becomes your time – for thinking, creating, working. Some of tomorrow’s best ideas might just be dreamed up on today’s journeys… - Local jobs
Public transport creates jobs that stay local – 13 million across the world. Secure, quality employment from drivers and conductors to office roles and engineers. Every public transport job supports four more across other sectors. The industry offers opportunities for everyone – from entry-level to highly skilled positions – with training for thousands of young people annually. Different backgrounds, different skills, all boosting local communities. - Bustling cities
Public transport brings places to life with frequent, reliable services – 60 billion journeys every year in Europe alone. It connects people to experiences: locals meeting at cafés, families in parks, tourists discovering landmarks, shoppers browsing markets, concert-goers filling venues. Iconic stations and innovative systems become destinations – lasting political achievements that define the place they’re in. Public transport doesn’t just move us through cities and towns. It makes places more liveable. For everyone.
The Power of Public Transport Toolbox
The ‘Power of Public Transport Toolbox’ contains a full set of ready-to-use (digital) brochures, posters, visuals, and digital media assets for marketing, communications and public relations purposes to help communicate the value and benefits of public transport to the public, policy makers, and stakeholders.
Each asset is ready to print. The open files are also included so you can translate the text into your local language if you wish. The open files also have space allocated for your own logo.
Please do not change any of the layout, graphics, logo’s or images apart from adding your own logo in the indicated spaces.
The toolbox contains several types of assets:
- The animation in English (more languages to come)
- Short animation for each benefit
- Brochures
- Posters
- Roll-up
- Swing cards
- Visuals for each benefit
Each asset folder has both the relevant ‘ready to use’ files (jpg, pdf, digital, print) and the open files that your designer can edit in the Adobe Suite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I adapt the images and videos?
The open files for some of the assets contain a grey area with the words ‘your logo here’. UITP Members are free to add their logo in that location and publish without written permission.
No other alterations to any of the assets in the public transport benefits toolbox are allowed unless a representative of the UITP communications department has given express written permission. In that event, the end-product has to be approved by the UITP Head of Communications before publication.
If you have any suggestions for adaptations, contact us using the link below.
Can UITP help implementing a translation to my local language?
Yes! If you take care of the translation, we will implement it in the design and make the files available to you.
The only condition is that – once the files are translated – they can be added to our toolbox for all UITP members to use.
Do I need permission to use the assets in the public transports?
UITP members are free to use the assets in the public transport benefits toolkit on social media, in print (limited to 1,000 copies), in narrowcasting, on their website and in presentations.
In any other situation, you can request permission by contacting us via the link below.
Of course, we always appreciate you letting us know when you use the public transport benefits toolkit.
Contact Us
We are continuously updating the public transport benefits toolbox with new statistics, visuals and animations! Keep in touch to receive updates!
Scott MAGALICH
