Comments | says_bomb: Transit Subsidies

says_bomb

Transit Subsidies

Feb 05, 2009 09:12

So this post from The Transport Politic discusses the rhetoric of "profitability" as it relates to transit systems. One justification provided for transit subsidy is that their are societal benefits in the form of social justice. While I don't disagree, I didn't think that was the strongest argument, so I posted the following comment. I'm ( Read more... )

transportation

Comments 7

manley1 February 5 2009, 17:23:12 UTC

They say roads are the most subsidized thing in America because it was sold to the populace that not driving is somehow tantamount to being un-American. The most cited, AFAIK, example of this is when LA ripped out its network of trolleys and turned into a sprawling highway jungle.

I don't know if it will ever be the case that we'll go back because 1) America still has plenty of land and 2) there won't be popular will to revert save for some huge event like an actual prolonged gas shortage.

says_bomb February 5 2009, 17:42:19 UTC

Now, I'm not totally down on roads or cars. I believe in letting people choose for themselves... but still believe in incentivizing the most efficient technology for a given use ( ... )

A little off-track, less about the economics of it... rigbys_face February 6 2009, 00:29:27 UTC

I remember reading an article in Wired a few months back (here's a blurb about it) about automated cars that were test-driven through a desert with no one at the wheel. The A.I. behind them was advanced enough (with camera sensors, et al) that it could actually off-road and gauge the rough terrain well enough to distinguish steering, braking, and all other functions of driving. This is apparently all being done as a research project to get the idea of automated vehicles off the ground ( ... )

Re: A little off-track, less about the economics of it... says_bomb February 6 2009, 16:21:33 UTC

Thanks for your thoughts. The issue of transit mixing socio-economic classes is actually a big one. Even bigger in countries like Saudi Arabia and China than here in the US!

You mention cars that drive themselves. Working from the other direction, there are some folks that advocate Personal Rapid Transit (PRT). These would be networks of small vehicles on separated guideways that work more like horizontal elevators. You push a button and get one, you push a destination inside and it takes you there, but without stopping. Computers would control the whole system to provide direction and prevent collision ( ... )

Re: A little off-track, less about the economics of it... rigbys_face February 6 2009, 16:50:20 UTC

It has to be used in the right application: connecting a network of dense origins to dense destinations, where otherwise cars alone could not meet demand.Which is certainly why it is a relatively successful endeavor in places like SF or D.C. - it is beneficial for several reasons, but it is important that both of these cities are dense areas with smaller geographic boundaries than say, Orange County ( ... )

Re: A little off-track, less about the economics of it... says_bomb February 6 2009, 17:23:17 UTC

Yeah, people movers are like a paleo-form of PRT. Real PRT does have the control you mention... or it's supposed to, in theory ( ... )

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