Comments on: Can Technology Make Public Transit More Alluring? http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: d http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/comment-page-1/#comment-31238 d Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:13:48 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/#comment-31238 P, that might be true in places like New York or Boston where street parking is scarce and private lots are expensive, but in places like Atlanta or LA, where businesses have on-site, off-street parking lots, there is no real cost of parking. In those cities, it would take tolls and high gas prices to get people to switch to mass transit. P, that might be true in places like New York or Boston where street parking is scarce and private lots are expensive, but in places like Atlanta or LA, where businesses have on-site, off-street parking lots, there is no real cost of parking. In those cities, it would take tolls and high gas prices to get people to switch to mass transit.

]]> By: P http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/comment-page-1/#comment-31236 P Sat, 28 Apr 2007 14:12:44 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/#comment-31236 <i>gasoline is going to have to go over $10 a gallon for people to switch to transit. </i> Having drivers pay for the true cost of parking would get to that point faster. The value of the parking required for each automobile trip is much higher than the value of the gasoline- even at recent higher prices. gasoline is going to have to go over $10 a gallon for people to switch to transit.

Having drivers pay for the true cost of parking would get to that point faster. The value of the parking required for each automobile trip is much higher than the value of the gasoline- even at recent higher prices.

]]> By: Laurence Aurbach http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/comment-page-1/#comment-31225 Laurence Aurbach Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:37:42 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/#comment-31225 Professor Daniels says that gasoline is going to have to go over $10 a gallon for people to switch to transit. But the price of gas isn't the first consideration for most people. The much more important factors are speed, convenience, comfort and safety. Status and image play a role, too, and that's where marketing comes in. The Victoria Transport Policy Institute's latest report was released today: <a href="http://www.vtpi.org/traveltime.pdf" rel="nofollow">Valuing Transit Service Quality Improvements</a>. Todd Litman writes, <blockquote>Comfort and convenience significantly influence transportation decisions. ... Yet, planners lack guidance for evaluating such factors. This leads to underinvestment in transport comfort and convenience for modes that depend on public support, such as walking, cycling and public transit. This report identifies ways to account for qualitative factors in transport project evaluation by adjusting travel time values to reflect comfort and convenience. This can help identify innovative solutions to problems such as traffic congestion, and increases support for alternative modes, which tends to achieve both equity objectives and increased economic efficiency.</blockquote> Litman develops an illustrative example showing that transit service impovements have the best cost/benefit ratio by far, compared to highway expansion or even to new transit lanes. Professor Daniels says that gasoline is going to have to go over $10 a gallon for people to switch to transit. But the price of gas isn’t the first consideration for most people. The much more important factors are speed, convenience, comfort and safety. Status and image play a role, too, and that’s where marketing comes in.

The Victoria Transport Policy Institute’s latest report was released today: Valuing Transit Service Quality Improvements. Todd Litman writes,

Comfort and convenience significantly influence transportation decisions. … Yet, planners lack guidance for evaluating such factors. This leads to underinvestment in transport comfort and convenience for modes that depend on public support, such as walking, cycling and public transit.

This report identifies ways to account for qualitative factors in transport project evaluation by adjusting travel time values to reflect comfort and convenience. This can help identify innovative solutions to problems such as traffic congestion, and increases support for alternative modes, which tends to achieve both equity objectives and increased economic efficiency.

Litman develops an illustrative example showing that transit service impovements have the best cost/benefit ratio by far, compared to highway expansion or even to new transit lanes.

]]> By: Charlie D. http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/comment-page-1/#comment-31212 Charlie D. Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:29:32 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/#comment-31212 The MBTA in the Boston area recently upgraded their entire fare collection system across the subway and buses (commuter rail is in progress) to a contactless smart card technology. Using a CharlieCard, riders just tap it at a faregate or farebox to pay the fare. A CharlieCard can hold a combination of cash value and passes (weekly, monthly, etc). It has GREATLY decreased boarding times, especially on buses, as most riders have one of these cards and no longer need to fish for change or try to stuff dollar bills into the fareboxes. The MBTA in the Boston area recently upgraded their entire fare collection system across the subway and buses (commuter rail is in progress) to a contactless smart card technology. Using a CharlieCard, riders just tap it at a faregate or farebox to pay the fare. A CharlieCard can hold a combination of cash value and passes (weekly, monthly, etc). It has GREATLY decreased boarding times, especially on buses, as most riders have one of these cards and no longer need to fish for change or try to stuff dollar bills into the fareboxes.

]]> By: janis http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/comment-page-1/#comment-31209 janis Fri, 27 Apr 2007 17:48:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/27/can-technology-make-public-transit-more-alluring/#comment-31209 The MTA is already experimenting with that in NYC. Citibank paid to install smart card readers that accept PayPass on the Lexington Avenue line. The subway can also be paid for by cellphones with embedded chips. The MTA is already experimenting with that in NYC. Citibank paid to install smart card readers that accept PayPass on the Lexington Avenue line. The subway can also be paid for by cellphones with embedded chips.

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