I was reading a blog post by my good friend Stephy on our class discussion about demand and supply in the transportation sector. She mentioned how she was happy that while she cold not think to deep about it, her classmates did. The post can be read here.
I wanted to make a comment, but also one different enough to warrant my own post. I would have to completely agree with Stephy, and also empathize with her because I was in the exact same position. As we got into the conversation I thought of more answers for both demand and supply but it took the spark of the rest of the class. Now one must remember that both Stephy and I are senior Civil Engineering students who have had experience with both supply and demand, and transportation topics before. Yet we still had this issue. It made me realize that most people probable don't really know what they want or what goes into designing transportation systems, also known as the demand. While I don't expect that average Joe, or Jane, to understand the complexities of transportation engineering, it certainly would be easier to design systems if the general public worked better with those who have the power to make changes.
I say this because it is obvious that a major change, one that will affect everyone in major ways, is going to happen in our lifetime. (If you could not tell that this is a running theme in my posts then I suggest you read the others more carefully.) Any major change in the infrastructure, especially in the US, needs to have a huge support system from the general public or it will never work. For instance, say the people of a city blindly demand more public transportation. The city then sees an opportunity to improve traffic and happiness, a factor in quality of life, and adds a new rail line. But if the people of the city generally did not want trains, and instead wanted a more flexible bus system, then the demands of the city were not truly met. Now I know that this is a crazy example, but I still think that it is applicable. My point is, I think the general public needs to be more educated on what demands are used in the transportation system of demand and supply. If this were to happen, then not only would the people be able to better help those who take surveys and evaluations of what the population needs, but the general population would probably react better to both major and minor changes in transportation. (If you have ever spoken to locals who feel even the slightest bit affected by the most minor changes in traffic plans then you know what I mean.)
So in conclusion, my challenge is for more public education of the demand and supply system for the transportation sector to allow for more free flowing thought and faster, more efficient, and less hated changes.
I wanted to make a comment, but also one different enough to warrant my own post. I would have to completely agree with Stephy, and also empathize with her because I was in the exact same position. As we got into the conversation I thought of more answers for both demand and supply but it took the spark of the rest of the class. Now one must remember that both Stephy and I are senior Civil Engineering students who have had experience with both supply and demand, and transportation topics before. Yet we still had this issue. It made me realize that most people probable don't really know what they want or what goes into designing transportation systems, also known as the demand. While I don't expect that average Joe, or Jane, to understand the complexities of transportation engineering, it certainly would be easier to design systems if the general public worked better with those who have the power to make changes.
I say this because it is obvious that a major change, one that will affect everyone in major ways, is going to happen in our lifetime. (If you could not tell that this is a running theme in my posts then I suggest you read the others more carefully.) Any major change in the infrastructure, especially in the US, needs to have a huge support system from the general public or it will never work. For instance, say the people of a city blindly demand more public transportation. The city then sees an opportunity to improve traffic and happiness, a factor in quality of life, and adds a new rail line. But if the people of the city generally did not want trains, and instead wanted a more flexible bus system, then the demands of the city were not truly met. Now I know that this is a crazy example, but I still think that it is applicable. My point is, I think the general public needs to be more educated on what demands are used in the transportation system of demand and supply. If this were to happen, then not only would the people be able to better help those who take surveys and evaluations of what the population needs, but the general population would probably react better to both major and minor changes in transportation. (If you have ever spoken to locals who feel even the slightest bit affected by the most minor changes in traffic plans then you know what I mean.)
So in conclusion, my challenge is for more public education of the demand and supply system for the transportation sector to allow for more free flowing thought and faster, more efficient, and less hated changes.
Thanks for the shout out Carson. I completely agree, more public education on how supply and demand is utilized when creating a transportation system will allow for the public to be heard and transportation planners to meet the needs of the general public. Maybe the education starts with us? Just like the class sparking more ideas out of you, you can spark more ideas out of others.
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