I use public transport infrequently, probably more so overseas.
Without having to depend on it, the services aren't bad, without being flash.
My lay feeling about our systems overall is that "bugger all" has been spent on their maintenance over the decades and that we are relying on decades old infrastructure.
From a Melbourne point of view, our city is sprawling quickly. When the Epping line and station was completed 'yonks' ago, Epping was considered the rural outskirts of Melbourne. However, in the north, Melbourne is sprawling well past Epping, South Morang, Whittlesea, etc, but the train lines don't appear to be extending out further.
I've mentioned this years ago, but I still believe a world class public service infrastructure can be judged by a train linking its major airport to the CBD. If it doesn't exist, you are a 2nd world class city. For those who have been to Los Angeles, you will agree that its infrastructure is 2nd class, and it is now clearly a 2nd class city, as compared to Shanghai, Tokyo, Paris, New York, London, etc.
In Australia, we tend to live in a figurative form of cocoon. Quite similar to Americans, in a way. We have amazing self confidence, but when we travel overseas, we realise how technically backward our infrastructure is; not only our public transport infrastructure, but our overall infrastructure.
I've also heard the argument of "a big country, small population", but our populations are very, very concentrated into small pockets.
That's how I see it. No doubt, others will see it differently.
