Think About the Transportation Sector

Posted: 12/05/2012 5:00 pm

 

Superstorm Sandy has made it clear that no matter how hard some politicians try to ignore climate change, climate change will not ignore them -- or any of us. More carbon means higher seas, the kind that inundate subways. The U.S can also thank carbon emissions for contributing to the hottest summers on record, massive wildfires, and crippling droughts. The good news is, we can take some pretty serious steps to cut carbon pretty easily -- and make lives better at the same time.

 

Think about the transportation sector, which accounts for 27 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from cars and trucks. Tailpipe pollution is also a major source of asthma and other illnesses -- the transport sector contributes 80 percent of the harmful air pollutants that cause 1.3 million premature deaths each year. Road fatalities claim 33,000 lives per year on average, making traffic accidents the number one killer of people under 34 in the U.S. And traffic congestion is known to elevate stress levels and reduce quality of life for millions.

 

Read more at:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-mckibben/think-about-the-transport_b_2247048.html

Train hammocks. And I thought the national pants-free-subway ride thing was strange.....

 

Wow, how incredibly self-entitled does somebody need to be in order to use one of those?

 

"Don't mind me, I"ll just take up this entire section of the train for my own personal use."

^^ Wait, ... that's not MyTwoSense?

^^ Wait, ... that's not MyTwoSense?

 

LOL!!

^^ Wait, ... that's not MyTwoSense?

 

LOL!!

^^ Wait, ... that's not MyTwoSense?

"@Globe_Pics: An artist decided to install swings at a bus stop making waiting much more fun. http://t.co/TZrgIyHpel"

Wonder how many people try to jump out of the swings & into the bus...

Batteries are also notoriously heavy, and slow to recharge. But a new startup called WAVE has developed a wireless transfer system that can be used by by bus manufacturers to operate electric buses with vastly reduced battery sizes.

http://www.waveipt.com/

http://venturebeat.com/2013/10/10/utah-based-wave-nabs-1-4m-to-bring-wireless-electric-buses-to-a-dozen-cities-exclusive/

This is the same technology that the Zaragoza, Spain tramway is using. The LRVs run on overhead wires for the most part, but when they enter the central part of the city, they lower their pantograph and run on battery power. Each time they stop at a station in the wireless zone, they are wirelessly recharged from below. The Zaragoza sytem is using the same CAF Urbos 3 vehicles that the Cincinnati Streetcar will use, so we will have the capability to use this technology in the future.

http://vimeo.com/86508660

Aussie commuters in Perth tip a train to save a trapped passenger http://on.wsj.com/1zVVfbK 

 

This video was posted on the Cincinnati Streetcar thread a few years ago, but probably is more to the point here and is well worth re-posting.

 

Not sure how this one missed this thread:

 

http://vimeo.com/86508660

^Streetcar surfing in Bratislava; don't try this at home.

 

OR THIS:

 

^Streetcar surfing in Bratislava; don't try this at home.

 

I was thinking I might try it when the Cincy streetcar is extended to Uptown!

(With a handbrake, that would actually be pretty awesome)

^ Shhhh!  I hope city hall doesn't see this or they will no doubt try again to stop the streetcar on the hypothetical possibility that somebody might try this. :wink:

 

BTW, here's another one:

 

In case anyone missed this one from a few years ago:

 

 

Not sure how this one missed this thread:

 

http://vimeo.com/86508660

 

Urban surfing.

In case anyone missed this one from a few years ago:

 

 

 

About 25 years ago, I lived in Bangkok. At the end of my street there was a "restaurant" as close to the railroad track as this marketplace. Some of the  tables and chairs had to be moved when a train came, but the rest of us just kept eating.

Toronto Transit Commission map removed after people complained.  LOL http://t.co/W00vaMqQ17

Lorain County Transit also contracts with private sector transportation companies, as does Oberlin College and city. Might see more of this....

 

http://www.baconsrebellion.com/2015/04/step-aside-uber-bridj-is-the-next-wave-of-transportation-disruption.html

This rat eating a slice of pizza on the subway tracks is, hands down, the most New York thing I have ever seen ?? http://t.co/yyGwTPNWV9

Sandusky Transit uses a private operator too, it a Little different that the operator the article mention.

 

BTW there is no way that Boston is paying $12 per passenger trip.

 

 

 

 

 

Lorain County Transit also contracts with private sector transportation companies, as does Oberlin College and city. Might see more of this....

 

http://www.baconsrebellion.com/2015/04/step-aside-uber-bridj-is-the-next-wave-of-transportation-disruption.html

 

About time.

 

I've been advocating that GCRTA do something like this for much longer than I knew about this site (though the flexible routes and stops thing is new). 

 

The merger of all the county bus lines allowed them to take a "one size fits all" mentality that has turned off potential riders with other options.  They have a monopoly on public transit, but mass transit does not need to be public transit.

 

Unfortunately, I would expect their reaction to be the backlash the author predicts, not an effort to compete directly.  Never mind anticipating the market.

Texas Central Railway is a private company looking to build High speed rail between Dallas and Houston.

 

http://texascentral.com/the-facts/

Texas Central Railway is a private company looking to build High speed rail between Dallas and Houston.

 

http://texascentral.com/the-facts/

 

See: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,6079.msg753113.html#msg753113

Lorain County Transit also contracts with private sector transportation companies, as does Oberlin College and city. Might see more of this....

 

http://www.baconsrebellion.com/2015/04/step-aside-uber-bridj-is-the-next-wave-of-transportation-disruption.html

 

Whoa, my office is in that picture!

How one German millennial chose to live on trains rather than pay rent

By Rick Noack August 22

 

COLOGNE, Germany — When others get off the train to finally go home, Leonie Müller stays behind. That's because she already is home: The train is her apartment, and she says she likes it that way.

 

The German college student gave up her apartment in spring. "It all started with a dispute I had with my landlord," Müller told The Washington Post via e-mail. "I instantly decided I didn't want to live there anymore — and then I realized: Actually, I didn't want to live anywhere anymore."

 

Instead, she bought a subscription that allows her to board every train in the country free. Now, Müller washes her hair in the train bathroom and writes her college papers while traveling at a speed of up to 190 mph. She says that she enjoys the liberty she has experienced since she gave up her apartment. "I really feel at home on trains and can visit so many more friends and cities. It's like being on vacation all the time," Müller said.

 

MORE:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/08/22/how-one-german-millennial-chose-to-live-on-trains-rather-than-pay-rent/

^Deep.

How one German millennial chose to live on trains rather than pay rent

By Rick Noack August 22

 

COLOGNE, Germany — When others get off the train to finally go home, Leonie Müller stays behind. That's because she already is home: The train is her apartment, and she says she likes it that way.

 

The German college student gave up her apartment in spring. "It all started with a dispute I had with my landlord," Müller told The Washington Post via e-mail. "I instantly decided I didn't want to live there anymore — and then I realized: Actually, I didn't want to live anywhere anymore."

 

Instead, she bought a subscription that allows her to board every train in the country free. Now, Müller washes her hair in the train bathroom and writes her college papers while traveling at a speed of up to 190 mph. She says that she enjoys the liberty she has experienced since she gave up her apartment. "I really feel at home on trains and can visit so many more friends and cities. It's like being on vacation all the time," Müller said.

 

MORE:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/08/22/how-one-german-millennial-chose-to-live-on-trains-rather-than-pay-rent/

 

How dumb.  I recently saw something like this where a guy chose to be homeless and sleep on the roof of some building in NYC, despite being a wealthy, successful photographer.  These type of acts fetishize the real poor and homeless, IMO. 

Sounds romantic. And kinda gross. Hygiene is important and the fact that a person voluntarily does away with the ability to properly bathe for some romantic notion confuses me. It makes the train a less enjoyable environment for the people not taking advantage of it for their own personal story.

Wow, she looks well-groomed to me, though I can't speak how aromatic she may be. Some people are obsessive about their hygiene. Some people are well-groomed. Some people aren't. And some people are filthy.

Public Transportation May Be Better Than Driving: The Heart-Healthy Benefits Of Taking A Train Or Bus

Nov 8, 2015 04:25 PM By Samantha Olson

 

Commuters may complain when their train is late or the person sitting behind them on the bus is blasting music, but it's far healthier than driving to work each day. Researchers from the Moriguchi City Health Examination Center in Japan compared the health of those who take public transportation to those who drive, and their findings link three major health benefits to trains and buses.

 

Researchers studied 5,908 bus and train commuters, walkers, bikers, and drivers from Japanese cities, each an average age of 49- to 54-years-old. Those who relied on public transportation every day were 44 percent less likely to be overweight, 34 percent less likely to have type 2 diabetes, and 27 percent less likely to have high blood pressure. Researchers believe it's because people taking a bus or train to work may walk farther to and from the station than those biking, walking and, especially, driving.

 

MORE:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/public-transportation-may-be-better-driving-heart-healthy-benefits-taking-train-or-360758

Figured this topic deserves its own thread, since its implications on mass transit could be huge (and hopefully create a better experience for all passengers):

 

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/14/opinions/airline-brawl-lawsuit-opinion-cevallos/index.html

 

Essentially this lawsuit addresses the issue of what kind of behavior is acceptable in the public transit space.

 

Can loud noises and interruptions constitute a crime?

What kind of solicitation, if any, can occur on public transit?

What is the responsibility of the transit providers to their customers?

 

 

Many good questions will be answered, hopefully, with this suit. I for one am hoping for tighter restrictions and full prosecution of the defendants to set a precedent for a better, quieter, and safer transit experience for all.

 

 

What do you guys think??

I hereby submit that no one should be allowed to discuss politics or religion on the train.  Unless you do it as a musical number.

I'm assuming most disruptive behavior on public transit is already illegal and punishable.  Regardless, the main issue is enforcement.  It's usually impossible, and when it's not, publicly unpopular.

I hereby submit that no one should be allowed to discuss politics or religion on the train.  Unless you do it as a musical number.

 

That's the best idea I've heard in a while haha

I'm assuming most disruptive behavior on public transit is already illegal and punishable.  Regardless, the main issue is enforcement.  It's usually impossible, and when it's not, publicly unpopular.

 

That's true. The big issue is enforcement.

 

But I question whether or not it would be publicly unpopular. Especially if it was presented for what it really is, which is basic policy to eliminate negative interactions in the public space. I know we all aren't the type to blare music from open speakers on the bus or solicit people on the subway, but there are plenty of people out there that do stuff like that. And living in an urban environment, we learn to brush it off, but even with that it's still an annoyance that makes the day worse.

 

To me, this precedent seems like an easy fix. Depending on the verbage in the lawsuit, it can really create a baseline for a commonly accepted set of behaviors on transportation. Right now, there is one, and with people becoming ruder and ruder by the minute, it shows. I'm hoping some rules with teeth (prosecution) will solve the problem.

I'm assuming most disruptive behavior on public transit is already illegal and punishable.  Regardless, the main issue is enforcement.  It's usually impossible, and when it's not, publicly unpopular.

 

That's true. The big issue is enforcement.

 

But I question whether or not it would be publicly unpopular. Especially if it was presented for what it really is, which is basic policy to eliminate negative interactions in the public space. I know we all aren't the type to blare music from open speakers on the bus or solicit people on the subway, but there are plenty of people out there that do stuff like that. And living in an urban environment, we learn to brush it off, but even with that it's still an annoyance that makes the day worse.

 

To me, this precedent seems like an easy fix. Depending on the verbage in the lawsuit, it can really create a baseline for a commonly accepted set of behaviors on transportation. Right now, there is one, and with people becoming ruder and ruder by the minute, it shows. I'm hoping some rules with teeth (prosecution) will solve the problem.

 

For better or for worse, these articles and the situations that underly them do not show a public or leadership that have any interest in enforcing a prohibition on blaring music and misbehaving on public transit.

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/09/rtas_adult_fare_jumper_could_a.html

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/03/rta_issues_apology_to_lakewood.html

Redirected from the Cleveland HealthLine thread....

 

There was an interesting aside yesterday in a (Financial Times?) piece about driver-less automobiles.  It was something like: "Driver-less buses will make municipal transit systems profitable and that will change everything."  That was it, no facts or figures were offered; it's an interesting thought. There are precedents already with the GrandCentral - Times Square shuttle in NYC, airport trams, and such.

 

The unions will object, of course; but ideally municipal transit could probably be almost free for the riders.

 

 

There are already driverless trains out there. The airport subways in many of the airports have been driverless for decades. It could probably be done already

 

It's an interesting concept. I don't know if the overall transit system could be profitable, but it might be close if the tech becomes practical for non-fixed guideway transit (ie: regular route buses). But individual routes could become profitable. Labor costs typically account for 60-70 percent of operating costs. Transit agencies typically cover 20-40 percent of their operating costs with fares. But not all labor costs are drivers. There are mechanics, technicians, inventory staff, secretaries, janitors, track/overhead maintainers, station/shelter cleaning/maintenance, and more. But with greater operating efficiencies and more ancillary revenues (real estate, advertising, right of way leasing to fiber optics, etc), it might be possible for a private company to make money at providing transit.

 

However, it probably wouldn't be an existing transit agency that could pull it off. It would have to be a competitor to it -- or at least a complementary operator like what is happening in Montreal....

 

Montreal's new $5.5-billion, 67 km train system modeled after Vancouver's SkyTrain

http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/montreal-skytrain-train-reseau-electrique-metropolitain

Yeah jmecklenborg[/member] has been promoting this idea for awhile.

 

I could see routes that have somewhat infrequent service with regular buses replaced with more frequent, smaller, driverless buses. That would keep costs the same or slightly reduce them, but increase reliability and frequency, which would boost ridership.

But still do little for economic development.

That's true but I think that ties into the whole "Retrofitting Suburbia" dilemma. In most cities, you have a few underutilized neighborhoods close to the core that can be revitalized, urbanized, and densified. Any maybe you can add rail transit that would support that added density. But you still have tons of more sprawly suburbs that people will continue to live in for decades. And I don't think you can adequately serve those types of neighborhoods with transit without innovations like self-driving buses.

Yeah jmecklenborg[/member] has been promoting this idea for awhile.

 

I could see routes that have somewhat infrequent service with regular buses replaced with more frequent, smaller, driverless buses. That would keep costs the same or slightly reduce them, but increase reliability and frequency, which would boost ridership.

 

That was my thought - not that we would go back to privately owned transit systems, rather that the cost saving could be applied to more service and lower fares.

That's true but I think that ties into the whole "Retrofitting Suburbia" dilemma. In most cities, you have a few underutilized neighborhoods close to the core that can be revitalized, urbanized, and densified. Any maybe you can add rail transit that would support that added density. But you still have tons of more sprawly suburbs that people will continue to live in for decades. And I don't think you can adequately serve those types of neighborhoods with transit without innovations like self-driving buses.

 

That's a good thing, especially since a larger portion of the poor are going to find themselves in suburban environments in the future. These older developments aren't going to go away but instead become more affordable housing ala the "inner city" of the '70s-'90s.

I'll be very interested to see how REM works out in Montreal, whose rubber-tired Metro has long been a model transit network.  We went to the Montreal Jazz festival a decade ago and practically lived on the Metro, which greatly enhances the City's already great walkability.

Driverless road transit portends advances in AI that are so fundamental that conversing about specific early applications of these advances (such as transit) are extremely speculative at best. My intuition is that speculating about cheaper transit because you don't have to pay labor costs isn't seeing the economic forest for the trees. The economics of human labor as we know it will cease to exist.

$5.5B is some serious coin for a 42-mile rail network... Denver is spending that amount, or less, for a rapid/commuter rail network that will reach 116 miles, when the current budgeted extensions are built out.