Shift transit from buses to light rail / streetcars
Let's face it, buses aren't sexy. You don't see too many suits riding the bus in Vancouver. Based on what I've seen in other (world-class) cities, trolleys / streetcars / light rail are more appealing to a broader cross-section of the population. If we want to get people out of cars, provide a nice alternative.
Elle Zed
shared this idea
Streetcars and other forms of light rail have their place in the city — see http://vancouver.ca/streetcar for an example — but it is not practical to replace all buses with streetcars for a variety of reasons. In some cases, the flexibility buses offer (e.g. ability to pass, change lanes) outweigh the advantages of streetcars. The cost of upgrading (particulary if there is no commensurate increase in capacity and level of service) must also be considered, and weighed against other transit needs in the region.
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Peter Finch commented
There have been many attempts at making buses "sexy." Pretty well all of the buses ever used by TransLink and its predecessors attempted to capture that elusive quality. If we continue to go down that road, we will simply be doing what the last three generations have been doing--creating a transportation system that is designed for those who can't afford a car. Buses are known as "***** cruisers" because we have been taught that personal vehicles are "better." Instead of appealing to the lowest common denominator, let's change that thinking.
The 2010 Olympic Line streetcars were a good case in point. Equipped with large windows, leather seats and pleasing, quiet interiors, they promoted positive interaction among passengers and despite heavy useage over the 90 day demonstration period, the cars remained much cleaner than the average city bus, and suffered no significant vandalism.
Should rails be "definitely in the future?" Yes, the IMMEDIATE future! We have waited too long for this, so let's stop wasting time and money and build a lasting, quality system for everyone to enjoy. -
vantryumf
commented
Maybe we could invest in the bicycle trolleys of Amsterdam. The passengers bicycle the taxi as it travels the city. It does serve beer while doing so, that wouldn't fly by Pr. Cambell would it?
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RH ZHANG commented
I am all for railed public transit, that is definitely the future. But before we have the money to build them, why can't we make buses sexy in the mean time? It's true that people tend to look down on buses, but we can change that. If we are going to become the greenest city in the world we need to be able to do things that other cities cannot. I hope that Vancouver becomes the first city in the world to make transit riding a fashion statement. There may be a day when your "suits" would crave for riding the bus than to drive their own cars. It's all about transforming public perception, because the truth is, buses are safer than private vehicles.