Reasonable Transit Pitches

[DominusNovus]

The "cost" these people are spending in time and gas is clearly not enough to make them behave rationally.

They are behaving rationally. Just because they're willing to spend that time waiting in traffic doesn't make them irrational.

We, as a society, need to be more rational and realistic with energy use regardless of the source.

If you're going to define energy as broadly as you are (any and all sources), then we've got a few billion years before we have to worry. I've got a hunch we'll manage our commuting concerns by then.

 

[asap_mozart]

I'm sure we've discussed this before but can we get articulated buses on at least the 1? I had to take the 1 a few times yesterday and each time, upon leaving Harvard sq, the bus was half-full. and upon leaving Central sq, not really any standing space available. Consequently The MIT stop was a nightmare.

 

[FitchburgLine]

Apparently it's a car supply and garage issue, but it seems that absent a mass-ave subway or other ludicrousness, articulated buses are the next step from where we are now.

 

[Matthew]

I asked someone at the T this question one time, when given the chance, and they said that Southampton is the only place they have for storing/servicing the 60 footers, and it's out of space.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

I asked someone at the T this question one time, when given the chance, and they said that Southampton is the only place they have for storing/servicing the 60 footers, and it's out of space.

I think that Arborway could handle many more buses with a redesign. The Arborway Yard seems very poorly designed for maximizing space usage.


Also, remember this: for every 60 footer you have, you need a 40 footer to replace it during snow storms. This must be a major logistical and financial nightmare.

 

[cbrett]

I think that Arborway could handle many more buses with a redesign. The Arborway Yard seems very poorly designed for maximizing space usage.


Also, remember this: for every 60 footer you have, you need a 40 footer to replace it during snow storms. This must be a major logistical and financial nightmare.

Why do they have to replace them in storms?

 

[George_Apley]

^ Turning radius is my guess.

 

[davem]

They're RWD, that plus the articulation makes jack knifing is a huge concern in slippery conditions.

 

[bobthebuilder]

^ Turning radius is my guess.

most 60' articulated buses have similar off tracking to a 40' bus, sometimes even better.

 

[George_Apley]

^ Huh. The More You Know.

 

[cden4]

They would also have to lengthen all the bus stops or build bump outs for them.

What they SHOULD do is upgrade the CT1 to the 60' buses, bump out all those bus stops only, and run it during all hours that the #1 runs (including weekends).

 

[fattony]

They would also have to lengthen all the bus stops or build bump outs for them.

What they SHOULD do is upgrade the CT1 to the 60' buses, bump out all those bus stops only, and run it during all hours that the #1 runs (including weekends).

I'm curious - does the CT1 ever pass a normal 1? Traffic is usually so bad during peak times that I wonder if there is any point in having the express route.

 

[cozzyd]

I'm curious - does the CT1 ever pass a normal 1? Traffic is usually so bad during peak times that I wonder if there is any point in having the express route.

I've seen it pass the 1 on the Harvard Bridge

 

[BostonUrbEx]

They're RWD, that plus the articulation makes jack knifing is a huge concern in slippery conditions.

This. Just this past winter, there was a storm which caused three or four articulated buses to jacknife in front of the Jamaica Plain VA Hospital all at once, and snarled traffic for hours. I'm not sure why they were even running in that weather, it is very common to replace them with 40 footers ASAP.

 

[Matthew]

It is possible to buy articulated buses that don't jackknife easily but they aren't as common. Probably more expensive.

 

[George_Apley]

It is possible to buy articulated buses that don't jackknife easily but they aren't as common. Probably more expensive.

I guess the question then would be "is it cheaper to buy a fancier articulated, or is it cheaper to buy a 40ft little brother for every articulated bus?"

 

[Matthew]

It's even cheaper to buy 60' buses and forget about a backup entirely. Which is probably the most likely thing to happen.

 

[cden4]

Has the T ever considered double decker buses like they use in Hong Kong?

 

[bobthebuilder]

They do make mid-engine/mid-wheel drive articulated buses, but they aren't as common. Not sure of how much more expensive they would be, but squeezing the engine under the floor can't be cheap. Here's a pic of a chassis for a 3 section artic.

I think the major issue is with accessibility. I'm not sure exactly what the ADA requirements are, but I have a feeling there is language that basically forces all new public transit buses to be low floor.

If they can get around the accessability, than I think it'd be worth investing in at least a couple of mid-wheel artic's to keep them going during the winter.

...and a couple of these, for the hell of it

 

[Matthew]

Double decker buses have the trouble that they're even worse on dwell times.

There's a low floor, accessible, mid-engine articulated bus made by Van Hool apparently, I don't know how hard it is to get them, or why they're not more wide spread. Well I can imagine that it's trickier to split the engine, so maybe that's why they're not more widely manufactured. But yeah...