IanO
Superstar
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- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
archited
Senior Member
For those who wish to stay attuned to bus trends...
www.enotrans.org
www.enotrans.org
Webinar: Redesigning Transit Networks for the New Mobility Future - The Eno Center for Transportation
Bus network redesigns have been a major trend in public transit over the past several years, in part due to the availability of much better data to use for planning […]
www.enotrans.org
Webinar: Trains, Buses, People: An Opinionated Atlas of US and Canadian Transit - The Eno Center for Transportation
Christof Spieler has recently released the second edition of his wildly popular book Trains, Buses, People. Christof’s new book now covers eight Canadian cities and two new U.S. cities. His […]
www.enotrans.org
Aaron_Lloyd
Active Member
Cash fare for Edmonton transit set to spike to $4 in February
Cash fare for Edmonton transit set to spike to $4 in February despite continued delays in smart fare implementation
This increase would put Edmonton's cash fare at the top in Canada, in line with the Brampton, Gatineau and Mississauga transit systems
edmontonjournal.com
Edit: sorry it appears this was admin not council, should've read more closely.
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Gronk!
Senior Member
If I'm to read that article correctly, the $4 transit fare is a recommendation by admin but has NOT been decided by city council as of yet.
jason403
Active Member
Fare was $3 in 2012. So this will be a 33% increase over 10 years (just over 3%/year over this span). Not ridiculous from this metric, but it is higher than inflation over this period.
ChazYEG
Senior Member
Inflation is a geometric average, measured for the general consumer. If we are to look at this from such perspective, we need tu use the industrial and energy price indexes, as well as exchange rates. It doesn't make sense to adjust transit fares using the CPI, which has a bunch of stuff that does not affect transit operational costs (Housing, Health, Food...).
Also, doesn't make much sense to use the country's inflation for some of it, as a huge chunk of the cost and its increases are locally based.
I thought you'd appreciate the fiscal conservativeness of this measure. It raises revenue and reduces subsidization, all while screwing transit users. Everything that you could expect from cancervatives =D I'll be disappointed if the council follows through with this, but it is ironic that you would be as well.
Aaron_Lloyd
Active Member
I think you've misjudged me if you think I'm a fiscal conservative in regards to city infrastructure just because I also like the city having a well staffed police department. (I assume that's why you think I'm conservative overall?). The city should be investing much more into transit and additional user fees is not the way to go about raising the funds for it.
The level of service here is much worse than anywhere else I've lived or visited (though, sure, there are probably cities that are worse), the idea that the city thinks they can charge a fee that's tied for highest in Canada for the service they offer is just unbelievable.
The level of service here is much worse than anywhere else I've lived or visited (though, sure, there are probably cities that are worse), the idea that the city thinks they can charge a fee that's tied for highest in Canada for the service they offer is just unbelievable.
CplKlinger
Senior Member
Two major reports are being looked at by the Urban Planning Committee on February 15. One of them details the direction ETS should be going as Edmonton grows to 1.25 million people, and the other details the future expansion and use of its bus storage and maintenance facilities.
jason403
Active Member
It's awesome to hear they are planning new facilities capable of handling more electric busses. Can't rave enough about the low noise level of the electric busses and the elimination of diesel fumes on roadways. Very excited for this!
occidentalcapital
Senior Member
Very interesting to read the linked reports - recommendation for a big expansion of BRT. I am a little disappointed that LRT to airport is not yet in the plans.
Someone in the City has started thinking independently, applying expertise to where transit needs to be in Edmonton. It was a ballsy move to recomend further south LRT expansion over the council-prioritized NW expansion. Looks like someone in the City has actually started thinking about the future and is willing to go out on a limb, take some ownership of outcomes. I am happy to see this. Looks good on Andre Corbould. I guess we'll see if City council accepts the recommendation or starts playing political football with where the LRT is prioritized. I think there should be enough federal funding available right now to do a couple more major expansions ASAP.
Someone in the City has started thinking independently, applying expertise to where transit needs to be in Edmonton. It was a ballsy move to recomend further south LRT expansion over the council-prioritized NW expansion. Looks like someone in the City has actually started thinking about the future and is willing to go out on a limb, take some ownership of outcomes. I am happy to see this. Looks good on Andre Corbould. I guess we'll see if City council accepts the recommendation or starts playing political football with where the LRT is prioritized. I think there should be enough federal funding available right now to do a couple more major expansions ASAP.
roe_
Active Member
I think about those days in the winter when you're driving into the city and you can see a brown dome of haze covering everything. With the shut down of the coal plants near Wabamun and a move to electric, hopefully that kind of pollution can become a thing of the past. Glad the City is firmly moving to electrify the bus network.
thommyjo
Senior Member
I've heard electrification isn't actually good due to the battery costs and how inefficient batteries are to produce and all that. Anyone want to speak to why electrification is good? I love the lower fumes/quieter. But will the added weight, replacement costs, environmental costs to produce be worth it? are overhead wires better than the big batteries?
thommyjo
Senior Member
Interesting to see the 87th ave bridge there still. Wonder if that's a 1.25-1.5mil focus? I'd imagine more density on the west side and around university will make that route more needed.
Also would love to see the airport connector be more than a standard bus. In absence of the amazing trains a lot of cities have, it'd be cool if they had a half dozen high quality buses with leather seats, overhead baggage storage, etc. Sort of like the connectors at airports like Pearson. First impressions matter and a long drive from the airport to downtown will be a lot more attractive on something that's not our current buses.
CplKlinger
Senior Member
Regarding environmental costs, research has found that electric vehicles emit less lifetime GHGs (including GHGs associated with mining, manufacturing, usage, and post-scrapping) than gas-powered vehicles in at least 95% of the world. This holds true even in jurisdictions where the grids are mainly powered by coal – a fuel source which Alberta is currently transitioning away from. The environmental performance of battery electric vehicles can be improved by things like greening power grids, improving the environmental sustainability of manufacturing batteries, and improving their recycling. However, even as it stands now, electric vehicles emit less than gas vehicles.
I know that environmental sustainability encompasses more than just emissions, but given the climate crisis we face, I don't think we can afford to hold off on long-term plans like fleet electrification until the electric vehicle manufacturing process improves more. Mind you, I do wish that we kept our trolley bus system; I never supported its discontinuation.
CplKlinger
Senior Member
The current buses that serve route 747 have luggage racks and free wifi! But comfier seats would be lovely I'm sure. I agree that first impressions matter a lot here, and it shouldn't seem like a run-of-the-mill bus route.