The Oil Drum: New York City

Helping New Yorkers understand, prepare and adapt to the implications of Peak Oil

Monday, July 25, 2005

Better Mass Transit is the answer for all

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It is incumbent on all of us drivers and users of Mass Transit to have transit fully funded like other services. Congestion pricing and tolling the East River Bridges is politically unpopular but it is a major part of the solution. We need the commuter tax reinstated so that comuter-persons who earn a living here aren't unfairly subsidized by urban dwellers. The commuter tax should be dedicated solely to subsidizing Mass transit operations. We need BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) to operate within the 5 boros so commuters will be drawn out of their autos. It is working in LA (land of the automoblie) and around the world. For BRT to be a reality we also need the "political will" to implement and it requires only 3 things with not much infrastructure investment. You must get NYPD, NYC-DOT and the MTA in a locked room to agree to implement BRT and not just agree to another BRT study. What is needed is!
  1. Real enforcement of Bus only lanes on major streets in NYC.
  2. A transponder on the bus to safely change lights green in favor of the bus.
  3. Pre-boarding Kiosks at heavy usage stops like 14 Street, 42 Street where passengers have already swiped their Metro-Cards and need only board the bus when it arrives.

We need a greener less fossil fuel system and how about a pilot all electric fleet on one line to begin the feasibility to convert eventually all electric city-wide. If we can fuel them with wind feeding the electric supply. We can do this with overhead Catenary wire system which could be bus or light rail with (no autos alowed) avenues. There are issues with siting bus garages in lower economic areas, where the diesel emissions cause a propensity to childhood asthma. Electric and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) could reverse that negative health trend. Obviously electric power is preferred but CNG is better than diesel.

Please share your thoughts.

2 Comments:

At 5:58 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Actually, the MTA is planning to pilot BRT over the next 2 years. They are considering 15 high-need corridors, including 3 each in Brooklyn and the Bronx; 2 in Manhattan; 6 in Queens; and Hylan Blvd in Staten Island. Among these 15 potential sites, five will be selected as 'demonstration' projects in 2006 and will be implementated in 2007. More detail is available at http://www.mta.info/mta/planning/brt/index.html.

 
At 11:18 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear anonymous,

They have been too little too late at the MTA, BRT works if enforced. We are way beyond the planning stage needs wise. Pilots are a good start check out "Faster Than Walking" commissioned by the Straphangers of NYPIRG and Reseached and authored by Bruce Schaller. http://www.schallerconsult.com/pub/BRT_for_NYC.pdf

 

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