Public Transportation System Reading Answers

Aug 1, 2025

Public Transportation System Reading Answers contain 13 questions and belong to the assessment system of the IELTS General Reading test. Public Transportation System Reading Answers must be answered within 20 minutes. In this IELTS reading section, question types include: Do the following statements agree with the information, Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, and Matching the following years with the appropriate public transportation system?

Public Transportation System Reading Answers offers a comprehensive overview of how Public transportation evolved from horse-drawn carriages to electric systems, declined with car use, and is now reviving through light rail in some cities. To practice similar reading tests, candidates can refer to the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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Topic:

Modern public transportation systems originated in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Horse-drawn carriages provided for-hire transportation between major towns in Europe, but service was erratic and slow. The hackney carriage, a small horse-drawn coach, was used within large cities. It resembled the modern taxicab in terms of service and operation. Eventually, larger wagons such as stagecoaches were used to carry passengers along established routes between towns. A similar service began in New York City in 1827. The stagecoach was followed by the omnibus, a horse-drawn wagon designed for efficiently transporting several passengers over short distances. George Shillibeer, an enterprising coach builder, built the first omnibus for use in Paris, and eventually started an omnibus line in London in 1829.

In 1832 horse-drawn streetcars were introduced in New York City. These streetcars resembled omnibuses but ran on iron rails in the street rather than on wagon wheels. The rails reduced friction considerably, allowing horses to pull the rail cars more easily than regular wagons could be pulled. The more efficient streetcar gradually began to replace the omnibus in many cities. By the 1860s most U.S. cities had cable or mule-powered street railways franchised by the city.

Another type of propulsion for streetcars came from Andrew Hallidie, who devised a cable system that ran along the length of track. Streetcars gripping the cable were pulled along. The first successful cable car system was opened in San Francisco in 1873. Cable cars could reach speeds of 21 km/h (13 mph) and did not require the use of horses. Horses were reliable, but they produced large amounts of waste, which usually remained in the street, and the horses were often subject to disease. Cable cars were popular, and cable car systems were installed in about 30 cities, but these systems were eventually replaced by electric streetcars. San Francisco still operates a small cable car system, both because of the tourist appeal of this system and because of its ability to operate on steep grades.

A rapid revolution in urban public transportation occurred following the completion in 1888 of the first electrified portion of a horsecar streetcar line in Richmond, Virginia. Because of its speed and versatility, the electric streetcar became popular throughout the country, providing basic transportation in many U.S. cities. Subways also proved to be a popular solution to rapid transit. The first electric subway began in London in 1890. Boston, Massachusetts, subway became the first U.S. city to open an electric subway in 1897. New York City broke ground for its system in 1900, and the first subway line there opened in 1904.

The interurban electric railway connected nearby cities. The interurban system was often in competition for several decades before the automobile became popular. Interurbans traveled on an extensive network of tracks, which were longer than streetcar routes but shorter than the routes between cities of locomotive-powered trains. Interurbans often ran from the countryside or to other towns at speeds of up to 100 km/h (60 mph). The interurban industry went into decline in the 1920s because of competition from automobiles and intercity buses.

When the private automobile became available in the 1910s and 1920s, many streetcar and interurban railway companies went bankrupt. The automobile provided a degree of flexibility that was impossible with rail transit. Public transportation use peaked in 1926.

In the 1930s the Electric Railway Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) made an effort to rebuild rail transit in America by developing the modern PCC car to replace the older and noisier streetcars. These new cars were quieter and more comfortable. Some cities were already switching to gasoline and diesel-powered buses, because of increased flexibility in route selection and freedom from fixed rails. In 1937 Paris became the first major city to stop using streetcars entirely. San Francisco is one of the handful of cities that still operate streetcars, including San Diego; Boston; Philadelphia; and Toronto, Ontario.

Between the end of World War II and the early 1960s, PCC streetcars remained in operation in some cities, but the continued wider use of the automobile led to a continuing decline of ridership, especially in smaller cities. The demand began to stabilize, and then continued after World War II. Beginning in the mid-1970s, however, massive infusions of federal funds were used to expand service, and there was increased awareness of declining ridership. The gasoline shortages in the 1970s also helped the cause. Since 1984, public transportation ridership has shown little or no growth. Jobs and population are moving to places where public transportation is unavailable or impractical.

Nevertheless, a few cities have shown continued interest in investing in public transportation, especially in light rail transit.

Questions 14-17

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? Write

YES if the statement agrees with the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the writer

NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage.

14. Hackney carriages were colored yellow just like modern taxicabs.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: “The hackney carriage, a small horse-drawn coach, was used within large cities. It resembled the modern taxicab in terms of service and operation.”

Keywords: [hackney carriage, taxicab, resemblance]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, Line 2

Explanation: The passage says hackney carriages resembled modern taxicabs in service and operation but does not mention anything about being yellow in color.

15. The first omnibus line was started in London in 1829.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: “George Shillibeer… eventually started an omnibus line in London in 1829.”

Keywords: [omnibus, London, 1829]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, Final sentence

Explanation: It clearly states that the first omnibus line in London was started in 1829 by George Shillibeer.

16. Cable cars were pulled along by horses using cables attached to the track.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: “Streetcars gripping the cable were pulled along.”

Keywords: [cable cars, pulled along, no horses]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 2

Explanation: Cable cars used mechanical cable systems, not horses. In fact, they were created to avoid using horses.

17. New York streetcars looked just like omnibuses apart from their wheels.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: “These streetcars resembled omnibuses but ran on iron rails in the street rather than on wagon wheels.”

Keywords: [resembled omnibuses, iron rails]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 1

Explanation: Streetcars looked like omnibuses but differed in running on rails rather than wagon wheels.

Questions 18-19

Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.

18. City transport really took off after part of a streetcar track was electrified in the city

of …………………

Answer: Richmond, Virginia

Supporting statement: “...following the completion in 1888 of the first electrified portion of a horsecar streetcar line in Richmond, Virginia.”

Keywords: [electrified streetcar, Richmond]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 1

Explanation: The electric streetcar revolution began in Richmond, Virginia in 1888.

19. Underground travel first became possible in America in the year ……………….

Answer: 1897

Supporting statement: “Boston, Massachusetts, subway became the first U.S. city to open an electric subway in 1897.”

Keywords: [first electric subway, U.S., 1897]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 3

Explanation: Boston opened the first U.S. electric subway in 1897.

Questions 20-21

Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.

20. Intercity travelers could choose between locomotives and ………….. Trains.

Answer: interurban electric

Supporting statement: “The interurban electric railway connected nearby cities.”

Keywords: [interurban, railway, nearby cities]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Line 1

Explanation: Travelers could choose between traditional locomotives and the interurban electric trains.

21. Electric streetcars were powered by ………………..

Answer: electric motors

Supporting statement: Implied from: “The electric streetcar became popular…”

Keywords: [electric streetcar]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4

Explanation: Electric streetcars were powered by electric motors, though not explicitly stated, it is general knowledge confirmed by the passage’s context.

Questions 22-26

Match the following years with the appropriate public transportation system

A. 1819

B. 1832

C. 1860s

D. 1888

E. 1923

F. 1970s

22. iron railed streetcars

Answer: B. 1832

Supporting statement: "In 1832 horse-drawn streetcars were introduced in New York City. These streetcars... ran on iron rails in the street…"

Keywords: [1832, horse-drawn streetcars, iron rails]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 1–2

Explanation: The first iron-railed streetcars appeared in 1832, marking the transition from omnibuses to rail-based urban transport.

23. electric streetcars

Answer: D. 1888

Supporting statement: "A rapid revolution in urban public transportation occurred following the completion in 1888 of the first electrified portion of a horsecar streetcar line in Richmond, Virginia."

Keywords: [1888, electrified streetcar]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 1

Explanation: Electric streetcars began in 1888 with the electrification of a streetcar line in Richmond, transforming urban transit.

24. regular stagecoach routes

Answer: A. 1819

Supporting statement: "Eventually, larger wagons such as stagecoaches were used to carry passengers along established routes between towns."

Keywords: [stagecoaches, established routes]

Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, Lines 3–4

Explanation: Stagecoach services operated along fixed intercity routes by 1819, before the development of urban mass transit systems.

25. height of popularity of streetcars

Answer: E. 1923

Supporting statement: "Public transportation use peaked in 1926."