Are the Buses Making Us Fat?

Does public transportation cause obesity?

This is a question that has been percolating in my brain for a little while. My theory went something like this: for the most part, the users of buses and trains do not exercise by walking or biking to their destination. Public transit, while arguably economical and environmentally responsible, is not terribly efficient, and so users have less time before or after work to go to the gym or run.

Okay, in all fairness, public transit almost certainly does not cause obesity, but many have argued that poverty does (lack of means to buy healthy foods, lack of access to education, etc.) and public transit is often a more viable option than purchasing a car and gas. Obviously, this is specifically true in an urban environment, where such services exist. Where I grew up, in Vermont, almost everyone had to have a car, and a lot of people had to drive a very long way – 10-30 miles sometimes – to get to a grocery store or restaurant. A broken down car brought life to a standstill.

This is one of a complicated series of reasons that cities have a high density of poor people – reliable transportation is vital for anyone trying to get to a job, get their kids to school, meet friends, and shop for food and clothing outside their immediately walkable radius. For me, with a gallon of milk, a container of yogurt, some apples, bananas, and a couple cans of beans, a comfortable walkable distance is about a quarter of a mile at most. Fortunately, bus service in Baltimore provides pretty comprehensive coverage, and so a quarter of a mile (a few blocks, depending on where in the city you are) is about as far as you would need to go in any direction to get to a bus stop.

These are essential considerations for a great number of Baltimore residents. Over 22 percent of Baltimorians fall under the poverty threshold, compared with 14.3 percent nationally. The number of Baltimorians who are overweight or obese is also far higher than both the Maryland and the national average (35 percent compared to 26 percent for both the U.S. and MD), and has increased in real numbers as well as compared to the national average over the past 15 years. In Baltimore, African Americans are proportionally overrepresented among both the poor and overweight. Getting people to work and getting or keeping them healthy are interrelated and essential components of transportation policy, public health policy and progressive social change.

However, in talking to some friends and colleagues, and by perusing the MTA route maps, it seems that buses are not as useful as they might be. They come often, but not so often as to be easier than driving if you have the option. “Every half hour or so,” was the consistent refrain in my unscientific survey. “Oh, and there’s the Circulator,” said some of my respondents, referring to the charmingly named Charm City Circulator, which is an extremely valuable service – if you happen to want to go where it’s going.

The Circulator is funded by a parking tax, unlike the MTA buses which are funded by the state. Whether this is a good use of local funds may be a matter of opinion. These are shiny, clean, beautiful machines that encourage those traveling among the most vigorously prosperous and happening neighborhoods to leave their cars at home. Admittedly, this can contribute to decreasing downtown congestion, which is great, but it seems a little unfair to poorer neighborhoods whose residents need to travel with at least as much urgency. [I was very pleased to read the excellent piece by Lindsey Davis earlier this week on ChangeEngine, Shoelaces and Car Keys, about the challenges of driving and walking in Baltimore.]

The Circulator is a big investment of public funds, about $5.5 million per year, which is not insubstantial. Public policies on transportation issues need to cover a lot of ground, so to speak. There are a great number of practical concerns – unsafe bridges must be repaired, for instance, and roads need to be plowed. There are a number of choices to be made, however, and using funding for a free downtown shuttle is one of them. Those choices have a direct impact on the health of the population, and there are other ways to invest our resources.

Bike sharing programs have my biased vote (as a biker) since they promote health, emissions-free transportation, and improve the safety of biking and walking in the city. Increased numbers of bikers on the road actually decreases the number of bicycle-car crashes, and of course biking is a good workout.

In Washington, the Bikeshare program has come close to fully funding operations after an infusion of government capital got it off the ground. In New York, corporate sponsorship is covering the start-up costs for Citi Bike and rider fees (less than $100 for an annual membership) will cover operating costs. Cities across the country are entering into public/private partnerships supporting bike rental/sharing programs.

Baltimore? Unfortunately, the most recent attempt has failed, and it may be some time before another such program reaches fruition. Unless you already have a bike, or have the time to make or retool one into rideable awesomeness at Velocipede, then you are going to drive or ride the bus. Does that cause obesity? No. But it doesn’t help either.

Next time, Wandering in a (Food) Desert