AmericanFolkLegend
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2009
- Messages
- 2,210
- Reaction score
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
+1
the net benefit was absolutely positive
+1
the net benefit was absolutely positive
What is the lesson to be learned from the existing subway stops which have not stimulated growth? I'm thinking some blue line and orange line stops. Lets fix those places and use the lessons when picking areas for expansion.
Legend, do you think the useful life of the Big Dig tunnels is 75 years? If not (I don't) and it needs to be substantially rebuilt at year 30, then you'll never get the benefits of year 30 to 75.
MassDOT still lists Red-Blue Connector as a major study: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/CurrentStudies.aspx
I thought it was dropped along with BLX Lynn and Urban Ring? Apparently it still lives... or it's just undead at least...
Two reactions:
During heavy commuting hours with more frequent trains, some trains should be designated expresses, skipping low load/unload stations.
New MBTA buses are CNG, so the information about diesel, while interesting, isn't particularly important.
You are wrong and need to check facts. CNG buses get less than 2 MPG while diesel get about 4.7mpg. CNG bus refueling is slow and needs to be done more frequently, so too much service time is lost for long or frequent routes. The MBTA made much press around 2005 about upgrades to the diesel bus fleet with lowered emissions. They neglected to include green house gas emissions for their claim, however. Hybrid buses and locomotives are available, but not cost effective (much higher purchase cost, higher maintenance cost). That won't stop the MBTA from buying them, however.
Reading comprehension isn't your thing. You state that I'm wrong and need to check the facts, then refute a point I didn't make. I made no statement regarding which technology yields the better mileage, simply noted which technology was being purchased. Then you follow-up with a bunch of unverified assertions, all the while neglecting to provide any response to the questions I had about your initial assertions. And for the record, which type of bus gets better mileage might not even be the most important consideration, if we are discussing pollution.
I'm surprised. I figured with natural gas price being so low right now I would think there would be real operational savings over diesel. Ignoring for a moment the (substantial) upfront investment - does anyone know if the CNG buses are cheaper to run?Actually, they're not doing much in the way of CNG purchasing anymore. It didn't end up being the wave of the future they'd hoped, and they haven't purchased any new ones since 2004.
I'm surprised. I figured with natural gas price being so low right now I would think there would be real operational savings over diesel. Ignoring for a moment the (substantial) upfront investment - does anyone know if the CNG buses are cheaper to run?
I'm not betting they have anywhere near the sophisticated data collection nor proper modelling or analysis required to truly show that this policy has had any material difference to ridership. And they don't really need to, either.
Implementing the policy was a knee-jerk reaction to the whining of the public at the fare increase hearings. People kept complaining about fare evaders so they provided a zero-sum "solution".
I would think other factors, such as a residual influence from the spike in gas prices in April, would have had a greater impact. The weather in May this year was also much nicer than a year ago which would influence weekend and non-essential travel to a degree as well. Basically - could be anything while they are trying to spin it as "Gee, look, we're still increasing ridership and now it has to be because of our new policy - see, it's working!!"