HOUSTON – In the midst of a heat wave, METRO bus stops have become a real nuisance for users of this transport service.
While recommendations indicate that during extreme heat waves you should stay indoors, it’s not always possible for the thousands of Houstonians who rely on public transportation.
“On our hottest days, every minute you wait on the bus means one minute exposed to the elements,” said Gabe Cazares of LINK Houston advocacy group. “Heat stress is especially high in communities that are most dependent on Metro.”
Approximately 200,000 people in Houston use public transportation each day, but many stops lack adequate shelter and shade.
According to data analyzed by Houston Public Media, less than a quarter of Houston bus stops provide some form of shelter from the sun.
Users claim that many of the stops that exist appear to be designed more for rain than extreme heat, many even describing them as “ovens”.
