Making Public Transit Attractive

What’s the Best Way To Get Users To Embrace Mass Transit? Make it pleasant? Or make it efficient? (Tom Vanderbilt, Slate,  Jan. 19, 2012) Also discussed here: Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our Communities and Our Lives  (Jarrett Walker, Amazon) Today, the focus is on a new book, “Human Transit”  [...]

What is the Basis for Transit Policy in the USA?

Policy and Planning as Public Choice Mass Transit in the United States  (300 page pdf, David Lewis and Fred Laurence Williams, United States Department of Transportation, 1999) Today’s focus is a comprehensive policy report from the Department of Transportation of the USA which builds the case for subsidizing transit by looking at its benefit/cost ratio [...]

How to Cure Congestion: more roads, more public transit, or congestion pricing?

The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion: Evidence from US Cities  ( Abstract, Gilles Duranton and Matthew A. Turner, American Economic Review, Oct. 2011) Yet another paper is reviewed today from an economic viewpoint, concluding that congestion pricing is the only way to reduce congestion. Not even more public transit offers relief. Where pricing has been [...]

Why do People Drive to Work?

How and why do people commute by car? A mixed-methods investigation ( Abstract, A Goodman, J Panter, C Guell, D Ogilvie, J Epidemiol Community Health, Sep. 14, 2011) Today’s review is interesting because it looks at why people chose to drive a car to work. The results indicate that the decision is strongly influenced by [...]

How Stressful is Commuting by Public Transit?

Despite Toronto, Montreal gridlock, commuters reluctant to use transit (The Globe and Mail, Aug. 24, 2011) Today’s review article has a number of interesting statistics relating to Canadian commuters that help to explain why 4 out of 5 of them choose driving by car over public transit. The answer seems to be the additional stress [...]

The Pain of Commuting

IBM 2011 Global Commuter Pain Survey (9 page pdf, IBM, Sep. 8, 2011) In many cities, vehicle emissions is a major contributer to urban air pollution and the choices commuters make in their choice of transportation mode has a major impact on the resulting air quality. Today we review the 4th annual world survey of [...]

Getting People out of Cars- What does it Take?

Public attitudes to transport: Knowledge review of existing evidence (171 page pdf, Glenn Lyons, Phil Goodwin, Mark Hanly, Geoff Dudley, Kiron Chatterjee, Jillian Anable, Peter Wiltshire, and Yusak Susilo, Final report to the Department for Transport , Centre for Transport and Society, Bristol University, June 2008) The report reviewed today looks at the ways that [...]

Suburban Sprawl, Road Building and Vehicle Emissions

Lock-in Effects of Road Expansion on CO2 Emissions: Results from a Core-Periphery Model of Beijing ( 39 page pdf, Alex Anas and Govinda R. Timilsina, Working Papers, State University of New York at Buffalo, Jun. 9, 2010) By applying a traffic speed model to the megacity of Beijing, today’s review article examines the relationship between [...]

Urban Form and Greenhouse Gas Reductions

An Assessment of Urban Form and Pedestrian and Transit Improvements as an Integrated GHG Reduction Strategy (117 page pdf, Dr. Lawrence D. Frank, Michael J. Greenwald, Sarah Kavage, Andrew Devlin, Washington State Department of Transportation, Apr. 1, 2011) Today’s article under review looks at transportation demand management in and around Seattle, Washington as a way [...]

How Does Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) Compare to Pubic Transit?

Op-Ed. On relative costs of PRT, auto and public transit (Eric Britton, World Streets, Apr. 29, 2011) One of my favourite sources of information about transportation modes and the maestro for the World Streets blog, Erik Britton, borrows some recent facts from another key transportation guru, Todd Litman, to present a list of factors that [...]

The EU White Paper for Transportation to 2050

WHITE PAPER – Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system (31 page pdf, European Commission, Mar. 28, 2011) The focus today is on the recently released White Paper from the EU which outlines various steps to move toward a carbon free major cities within the next [...]

The Political Divides of Pollution-Free Cities

Image via Wikipedia Hard truths about why conservatives and libertarians hate urbanism (Market Urbanism, Nov.20, 2010) Also discussed here: Why conservatives don’t seem to like urbanism (Greater Ottawa, Nov. 22, 2010) Today’s review article looks at the apparent contradiction between views held by conservatives and the pollution-free cities that could be achieved by curbing sprawl [...]

How Critical is Population Density for Public Transit?

Image via Wikipedia http://mams.rmit.edu.au/j4oa4rdaow29.pdf (13 page pdf, State of Australian Cities Conference, Perth, 25 November 2009) The author of the article under review today analysed density and transport patterns in Canada, the US and Australia He challenges the long-used assumption by urban planners that the viability of transit depends on high urban population density, pointing [...]

Why are Canadian Cities Tops for Transit?

Request for Information: Canadian Ridership (Human Transit, Oct. 7, 2010) Also discussed here: Further cause for Canadian Triumphalism (Human Transit, Oct. 8, 2010) This post on Jarrett Walker’s Human Transit blog is quite striking from the point of view, at least, of this Canadian blogger (in Ottawa, no less) who despairs of the apparent lack [...]

The Case for Free Public Transit

Image via Wikipedia Should All Public Transit Be Free? (Big Think- Think Tank, Oct. 1, 2010) Also discussed here: Wellbeing Lower Among Workers With Long Commutes (Gallup, Oct. 1, 2010) And here: “fare-free would “create a tipping point toward more people using public transportation” (Free Public Transit-The beginning of the end of autosprawl, Oct. 1, [...]

Sharing Transportation and Mobility

Image via Wikipedia Sharing: Strategy for a Small Planet (World Streets, Sept. 27, 2010) Also discussed here: World Share/Transport Forum: Kaohsiung 2010 – The Third Way of Getting Around in Cities (Kaohsiung. 16 – 19 September 2010) The article in focus today is the introductory speech by well known mobility expert and commentator, Eric Britton, [...]

Which Transit Option is Optimal: Streetcars, Buses or Light Rail?

Image via Wikipedia Why a Streetcar Is Something to Be Desired – Rule 1 for sustainable communities: Restore the streetcar city (The Tyee, Sept. 16, 2010) The article reviewed today has an excerpt from Patrick Condon’s new book “Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities: Design Strategies for the Post Carbon World”. It contains a comparative cost [...]

Is Park-and-Ride a Good Idea?

Image via Wikipedia Be cautious about Park-and-Ride, especially in dense areas (Reinventing Parking, Aug. 23, 2010) Also discussed here: Parking Management – Strategies, Evaluation and Planning (30 page pdf) Victoria Transport Policy Institute, July 16, 2010) And here: Park and ride (Wikipedia) Today’s review post flags several disadvantages of park and ride, especially in Asia [...]

Public Transit and Health Benefits

Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits (33 page pdf, Todd Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, June 14, 2010) Also discussed here: Living Near Public Transportation May Extend Your Life (The Dirt, Aug. 18, 2010) This report focuses on the under-appreciated health benefits that public transportation provides to urban populations, expressed in quantitative terms for various health [...]

Transit, Road Pricing and Congestion

Image via Wikipedia What Does Transit Do About Traffic Congestion? (updated-Human Transit, July 30, 2010) Also discussed here: The Triple Convergence (Walkable Streets) And here: The anti-transit shell game (Cap’n Transit Rides Again, Dec.15, 2009) And here: The “Transit Isn’t Green Because It Runs Empty” Line (Human Transit, Dec. 15,2009) A thoughtful article today about [...]

Smarter Choices for Less Car Use

The Effects of Smarter Choice Programmes in the Sustainable Travel Towns: Summary Report (55 page pdf, Transport for Quality of Life Ltd, Feb, 2010) The study reviewed today has some very interesting statistics on the results of a “Smarter Choice” program implemented in three UK towns to reduce car use. The greatest reductions came from [...]

Free Public Transit

17 Reasons (or More) to Stop Charging People to Ride the Bus (The Tyee, July 5, 2007) Also discussed here: Campaign for free public transport leaflet (Wiganshale’s blog, Jan. 23, 2010) Why do we expect public education, fire and police services to be “free” (or more accurately, paid for out of the public purse), but [...]

Using Road Tolls to pay for Transit in Canada’s Largest City

Image via Wikipedia The Move Ahead: Funding “The Big Move” (28 page pdf, Toronto Board of Trade, May 19,2010) Also discussed here: Road tolls one of 16 ideas to pay for transit (Toronto Star, May 29, 2010) And here (referring to a report from the Environmental Commissioner for Ontario): Report suggests road tolls to fight [...]

Growth Management, Impact Taxes and Road Pricing

The Limits to Growth Management (33 pge pdf, Environment and Planning, 1997) Managing the development of land surrounding cities and the road and transit infrastructure that follows from that is a key to coping with the traffic and air pollution that is a byproduct. The focus for this post is an article that analyzes the [...]

New Double-Decker Hybrid Bus for London

New Bus for London The New Bus for London has a pioneering, futuristic design that features: Extensive use of glass to highlight key features and produce a light and airy feel inside the bus A glass ‘swoop’ at the rear and offside to pick out the two staircases An open platform at the rear, shared [...]

Transit Ridership and Emissions per Mile

Public Transportation’s Role in Responding to Climate Change (20 page pdf, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Dept of Transportation, Jan. 2010) Also discussed here: Transit emissions and the importance of ridership (Sustainable Cities and Transport, Apr. 25, 2010) Often public transit advocates claim that transit pollutes less than single occupancy vehicles but, as this article points [...]

Automobile Dependence and the Future of Roads

Image via Wikipedia The future for roads in 2050 – Australian perspectives on sustainable transportation (World Streets, Apr. 23, 2010) Also discussed here: RESILIENT CITIES – Responding to the Crash, Peak Oil and Climate Change (151 page pdf slideshow, Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University, Australia) And here: Sustainable Urban Transport – Responding to [...]

Getting People out of Cars

Magic Formula for Transit Ridership (Cap’n Transit Rides Again,  Sep. 13, 2009) An older article on the theme of promoting greater use of transit has a great graphic (shown below) and an interesting analysis of options which depend on the strength of the road (car) lobby. Key Quotes: “the magic formula: 1. Give transit its [...]

Online Electric Train in South Korea

KAIST introduces environmentally friendly public transportation to Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon City (KAIST university, Mar. 9, 2010) This new type of electric train makes use of power buried underground, avoiding the problems of overhead wires or heavy batteries, and can maintain a speed of 62 kph, more than enough for most downtown cities. It [...]

Robot Taxis

The Implications of Robot Cars and Taxis (Brad Templeton Blog) The concept of a driverless, automated, emission free passenger vehicle is rapidly becoming a reality, as major car manufacturers (such as Volvo, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes-Benz) develop software and sensors to make such a transportation mode safe and efficient. An expert in this area, Brad Templeton, [...]

Why do you drive to work?

How Does Car Parking Availability and Public Transport Accessibility Influence Work-Related Travel Behaviors? (15 page pdf, Sustainability 2010, 2, 576-590, 12 February 2010) How to get people out of their cars for the daily commute and into public transit is a challenge for many cities in North America. This article looks at the factors that [...]

Orienting Development to Transit

Transit-oriented development requires more than transit and development (from blog by Kaid Benfield, Director, Smart Growth Program, NDRC) Given that efficient public transit is part of the solution to reduce private vehicle commuting and emissions and make a city pollution free, this article looks at transit oriented development and ways to make the development part [...]

“the degree to which the businesses are acting against their own self-interests”

Gary Mason,  a leading journalist from Canada’s greenest and 3rd largest city,  writes today on “Bring on taxes – if they spur transit“.  He explains how higher downtown parking rates help to reduce traffic and pollution downtown, as well as provide funds for a much more efficient and comfortable  alternative, rapid transit ( “the Canada [...]

Health Benefits of GHG Emission Reductions-Transit, Cycling, Walking

Public health benefi ts of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: urban land transport Additional discussion here: More Foot Power, Less Car Pollution Best for Health (US News) Key Quotes: “health effects of alternative urban land transport scenarios for two settings—London, UK, and Delhi, India.” “developed separate models that linked transport scenarios with physical activity, air [...]

Canada’s Best Run Cities

Canada’s best and worst run cities (Macleans July 2009) This annual survey rates 31 cities under such criteria as governance, finance, taxation,safety, transit, fire and police services, environmental health, and recreation. Overall, Burnaby and Surrey, BC and Saskatoon SK emerge as leaders and Fredericton NB, Kingston ON and Charlottetown PEI as laggards. An interactive table [...]

Healthy, Equitable Transportation Policy

Healthy, Equitable Transportation Policy – Recommendations and Research (188 Pages pdf) Chapters: Health Effects of Transportation Policy Transportation Authorization 101: A Backgrounder Public Transportation and Health Walking, Bicycling, and Health Roadways and Health: Making the Case for Collaboration Breaking Down Silos: Transportation, Economic Development, and Health Sustainable Food Systems: Perspectives on Transportation Policy Traffic Injury [...]

Moving Ottawa

Moving Ottawa: The New Transportation System The Mayor of Ottawa’s Task Force on Transportation  (June 2007) An important, far-reaching report on the future for Ottawa (96 pages) out to 2037 with maps and recommendations that are now taking shape in 2009, including an all-electric Light Rail Transit network, restoring the downtown Union station as a [...]