Inequality In Transportation Essay

Social mobility is one of the most important underpinnings throughout the United States (Brenman 2011). While transportation may be perceived as simply transporting individuals from point A to point B, social mobility has a much greater purpose. Transportation builds community, creates opportunity, and forms the social status and social class between individuals and their community. Social class is a reflection of inequality of social mobility which forms divisions between citizens across America as well as in our hometown. Grand Rapids, Michigan contributes to the inequality of social mobility through social stratification, the promotion of conspicuous consumption and the overall safety of transportation. Inequality in transportation

While there are many bus routes located in areas of Grand Rapids which are considered to be “safe.” There are other bus routes which enter the poorer and rougher regions of town. In these urban, rougher neighborhoods, many of the citizens have experienced gentrification, where high-class and working-class citizens displace low-income citizens to locations which may be unsafe. It is from situations such as gentrification, lack of financial stability, disabilities and many other reasons that citizens are forced to ride the Rapid, creating inequality between those of high-class and low-class. As author Max Weber states, “To wish to be poor was, it was often argued, the same as wishing to be unhealthy; it is objectionable as a glorification of works and derogatory to the glory of God” (Weber 2012:435). No one wants to be poor, however, sometimes this is just what happens. It is for this reason that inequality and injustice

Social mobility has become essential in order to progress in life. Advancing your social class or social status has become very difficult to achieve without private transportation. While public transportation may be enjoyable for a short time, it can become quite challenging to complete the weekly errands or trying to find a job. It is for this reason that many people in the low-class have found themselves stuck in a cycle of poverty (Ehrenreich 2012). While the Rapid strives to provide safe and easy transportation for their riders, this does not always happen. Some might perceive transportation as merely a way to transport an individual from point A to point B but in fact, there is so much more that transportation can offer an individual. And unfortunately, there are many individuals in our city of Grand Rapids who are stuck in a poverty cycle due to the lack of transportation. Citizens who use public transportation, such as the Rapid busing system, for their means of transportation, have inequality of social mobility because their social lives and activities must revolve around what is accessible by walking or public transportation. This inequality can hinder the individuals’ daily activities, their social class and their social