讲义参考文稿transportation in america

LocalPrivateautosremainthemostcommonformoflocaltransportationintheUnitedStates,althoughthesituationmaybechangingsignificantlyinthenextfewyearsasaresultofthecontinuingenergycrisis.Thecostofoperatinganauto eprohibitiveforsomepeopleintheUnitedStates---especiallystudentsandotherswithlimitedmeans.OwningandoperatinganautointheUnitedStatesisaseriousresponsibility,andstudentsshouldconsidercarefullybeforedecidingtolearntodriveortobuyacar.Peoplewhoownautosmusthaveavalidlicensefordrivinginthestateinwhichtheyreside,insurance(whichisveryexpensive-withpremiumsamountingtohundredsofdollarsannually),andregistration(thecarmustberegisteredbythestateinwhichitsownerlives).Inaddition,somestates’haveaalpropertytaxthataddstoboththeinitialpriceofthecarandthecostofmaintainingiteachInternationaldriver'slicensesmaybeusedtemporarilytoallow sfromothercountriestodrivetheircarsintheUnitedStates.ButstudentswhontoremainintheUnitedStatesformorethanafewmonthsshouldobtainadriver'slicensefromthestateinwhichtheyr.Whenpurchasingacar,itisadvisablefortheforeignstudenttobe byanAmericanwhoisfamiliarwiththeproceduresinvolved,priceranges,andsoforth.Inordertooperatethecarthatthestudenthaspurchased,itwillbenecessarytopurchaseautoinsurance.TherearealargenumberofinsurancecompaniesthatsellsuchinsuranceandawidevarietyofautoinsurancepoliciesandrelatedservicesavailabletoautoownersintheUnited.Buses,Subways,CommuterThetypeandextentofrapidtransitserviceavailableinagiventownorcityintheUnitedStatesdependsonthesize(population,area),terrainandwealthofacommunity.Bus,subway,andcommutertrainfaresgenerallyarehigherthaninTheautoisthemostpopularmeansoftransportation.Morethan123.46millionpassengercarsareinoperation.About10millionpassengercars,trucksandbusescomeofftheassemblylineseveryyear,andthemanufactureofmotorvehiclesandalliedproductionisa$200,000millionindustry.TheautohasbroughtmanychangesinAmericanlife---forexample,theremarkablegrowthofthesuburbsinthepast25years.Many swhoworkinthecitiesnowenjoycountrylivingbecauseofgoodroadsanduseoftheauto.Heavyuseofthenation'shighwayshascreatedademandforroadsidebusinessofvariouskinds,includingoutdoormovietheaterswhereaudienceswatchfifromtheirautos,andconvenientroadsidehosknownas"Mos".Mosareusuallylocatedonmainroadsnearcitiesandatseasideandotherresortareas.Theyaremadeupofaseriesofbedroom-and-bathunitsandnearbyparkingspaces.Manyoftheunitsareequippedwithevisionandair-conditioning.Restaurantsandswimmingpoolsareavailableatmostofthelargemos.Thenumberofmoshasgrownsorapidlyinrecentyearsthattheirtotalannual ehassurpassedthatofAmericanhos.ThroughouttheUnitedStatestherearesome5,270,000kilometersofhardsurfaceroads,andmorethan1millionkilometersofotherroads.A68,400-kilometerinterstatesystemofwayscrisscrossesthecountry,linkingallmajorcities.BuseshaverecedstreetcarsforpublictransportationinmostcitiesandThesuburbanareasusuallyhaverailroadorbustransportationtoneighboringtowns.Busesareoftenusedbytravelersforlongtrips.Faresarelessthanonrailroadsorairlines,andmanyofthelarge,modernbusesproviderestroomsonboard.Theairneisapopularmeansoftravel,with12,700civilairportsandmorethan246.7millionpassengersayear.Thereare37scheduledairlines.Twenty-sixregionalcontrolcentersdirectairtrafficbetweencities.Aboutadecadeago,theU.S.ernmenttookovermostoftherailroadpassengerroutesfromprivatecompanieswhichwerelosingmoneyonpassengerservice.Cons