Comments on: Public transit ridership rises to highest level in 52 years http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:18:58 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Jim Bullis http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31946 Jim Bullis Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:09:49 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31946 The price of gasoline got so high last year that many people got so desperate they would try anything; even allowing themselves to be herded onto mass transit. No problem for those who live and work in clustered situations. The more the better, but most of us in the USA do not live that way. If I observe correctly, and my own experiences are remotely representative, most do not want to give up their present patterns. The price of gasoline got so high last year that many people got so desperate they would try anything; even allowing themselves to be herded onto mass transit.

No problem for those who live and work in clustered situations. The more the better, but most of us in the USA do not live that way. If I observe correctly, and my own experiences are remotely representative, most do not want to give up their present patterns.

]]> By: Nick Santos http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31944 Nick Santos Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:51:49 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31944 Not that it matters terribly much, but that also looks a lot like it could be Washington DC's Metro system instead of London - I've never been to London though, so it could be that they look quite similar. I'm just guessing DC since Joe is located there. Not that it matters terribly much, but that also looks a lot like it could be Washington DC’s Metro system instead of London – I’ve never been to London though, so it could be that they look quite similar. I’m just guessing DC since Joe is located there.

]]> By: David B. Benson http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31936 David B. Benson Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:17:20 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31936 Downtown Portland Oregon has whole streets dedicated to the buses. Downtown Portland Oregon has whole streets dedicated to the buses.

]]> By: Adam http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31917 Adam Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:10:19 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31917 I live in Sydney and there has been an increase in public transport patronage here too. Unfortunately the rail network is already running over 100% capacity, there is not enough power in the network's electricity grid to run the new trains and the project to fix that is running 3 years late and 7-times over budget, the new rail lines to fast-growing outer suburbs have been cancelled, the new storage facility for the new trains was to be built as part of one of those cancelled rail lines, and an alternative will not be ready until 3 years after the new trains come into service, and from some parts of Sydney it is no cheaper than driving because the state government subsidises tolls on the privately-owned motorways instead of investing in public transport infrastructure.... the point I'm making with this rant is that governments need to start thinking of public transport as the primary form of transportation, and fund it accordingly. I live in Sydney and there has been an increase in public transport patronage here too. Unfortunately the rail network is already running over 100% capacity, there is not enough power in the network’s electricity grid to run the new trains and the project to fix that is running 3 years late and 7-times over budget, the new rail lines to fast-growing outer suburbs have been cancelled, the new storage facility for the new trains was to be built as part of one of those cancelled rail lines, and an alternative will not be ready until 3 years after the new trains come into service, and from some parts of Sydney it is no cheaper than driving because the state government subsidises tolls on the privately-owned motorways instead of investing in public transport infrastructure…. the point I’m making with this rant is that governments need to start thinking of public transport as the primary form of transportation, and fund it accordingly.

]]> By: Ruth http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31911 Ruth Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:31:48 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31911 This is very encouraging! Thanks. And Barbara, it is indeed a picture of London, but it doesn't look quite like that. Not yet :) This is very encouraging! Thanks.

And Barbara, it is indeed a picture of London, but it doesn’t look quite like that. Not yet :)

]]> By: Barrett http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31896 Barrett Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:49:59 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31896 The idea that riders should have to wait an hour for a bus is ridiculous. I think that we should make every four lane road (2 lanes in each direction) have a dedicated bus lane in both directions. Let Buses speed through traffic. Part of the issue with public transit is waiting for the bus or train. Google Maps supports a public transit option now for NYC. I can enter my starting and ending address and Google Maps will tell me the fastest way to get there via public transit. It lists the times that the bus or train will arrive along with transfer times. The iPhone has this built in to the software under the standard maps application. It is a great use of technology. At night, when the traffic is less, the times are pretty spot on. During the day, traffic interferes with the bus times. People would take public transit more if they could know the times. We should build a system that realizes this truth. A dedicated bus lane would allow Buses to be on time. They would have their own lane and we could use Radio Frequency ID tags to broadcast the exact position of the bus which could easily be relayed to a cell phone or the internet. People would know exactly where the bus was and when it would arrive. People can still drive their cars, but they will have to deal with the traffic and commute times. Reward the people who will use public transit by giving them traffic-less lanes to travel on. If the police strictly enforced the the bus-only lanes, bus travel times would be reduced and on time even during rush hour. A double reason to ride the bus. The idea that riders should have to wait an hour for a bus is ridiculous. I think that we should make every four lane road (2 lanes in each direction) have a dedicated bus lane in both directions. Let Buses speed through traffic.

Part of the issue with public transit is waiting for the bus or train. Google Maps supports a public transit option now for NYC. I can enter my starting and ending address and Google Maps will tell me the fastest way to get there via public transit. It lists the times that the bus or train will arrive along with transfer times. The iPhone has this built in to the software under the standard maps application. It is a great use of technology. At night, when the traffic is less, the times are pretty spot on. During the day, traffic interferes with the bus times. People would take public transit more if they could know the times. We should build a system that realizes this truth.

A dedicated bus lane would allow Buses to be on time. They would have their own lane and we could use Radio Frequency ID tags to broadcast the exact position of the bus which could easily be relayed to a cell phone or the internet. People would know exactly where the bus was and when it would arrive. People can still drive their cars, but they will have to deal with the traffic and commute times. Reward the people who will use public transit by giving them traffic-less lanes to travel on. If the police strictly enforced the the bus-only lanes, bus travel times would be reduced and on time even during rush hour. A double reason to ride the bus.

]]> By: Peter Black http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31868 Peter Black Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:26:08 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31868 What took you so long to cover this Joe? ;-) http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=28684 What took you so long to cover this Joe? ;-)

http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=28684

]]> By: Barbara http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31827 Barbara Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:47:15 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31827 Two stories here today, taken together, are interesting. If half the population in the country lives along the coast and if much of our mass-transit is below ground, how long before subways begin flooding? Sooner than the city streets above, certainly. How far below ground are they? I'm not much of a city gal, though. Maybe the engineers are already dealing with this. From the photo (is that London?) it looks as though the Tube would already have closed... Your website did not take any time to load, at all. Thanks for all you do, Joe. Two stories here today, taken together, are interesting. If half the population in the country lives along the coast and if much of our mass-transit is below ground, how long before subways begin flooding? Sooner than the city streets above, certainly. How far below ground are they? I’m not much of a city gal, though. Maybe the engineers are already dealing with this. From the photo (is that London?) it looks as though the Tube would already have closed…

Your website did not take any time to load, at all.

Thanks for all you do, Joe.

]]> By: Hank R. http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31824 Hank R. Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:21:40 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/09/public-transit-ridership-rises-to-highest-level-in-52-years/#comment-31824 Joe, Just an FYI....your site takes a very long time to load. Joe,

Just an FYI….your site takes a very long time to load.

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