What would we gain from a merger?
Stream lining of a system where you don't have to change twice on the same route, less management, better use of resources, a network, better service 7 days a week just a few things.
The LRT is not an over price or expensive since it does a number of things. It drives development a lot faster with a higher return on the investment.
It offer a smother ride with more space. You can set a headway of 5-10 minutes today and it will not change for at least 20 years since you are starting out with one car and add 2 more as needed over time. You need to add more buses and personnel to match that increase of ridership while the LRT is adding no personnel and only equipment.
The real big different between buses and LRT is operation cost.
Even though a BRT can be built cheaper than an LRT, it cannot beat the cost of operating the line as an LRT over a 30 year life cycle.
Using 5,000 riders from a single point that started off at 2,000 over 30 years, an LRT will save $250m in both operation cost as well maintenance and replacement cost. This does not take into consideration the cost of fuel as it is impossible to say what it will be over the course of the 30 year cycle.
In 2010, I did a spreadsheet using the current cost of MT new buses as well TTC buses, current MT wage cost, LRT cost and used X riders. I them determine the number of vehicles that would be be required to move X riders from a single peak point. I then used standard 40', 60' double deck hybrid buses as a well an LRT to determent the number of vehicles would be required to move X riders to get the headway. Using 3% for increase of ridership as well wage cost over 30 years along with 1% in capital cost, you start to see changing numbers for everything. As ridership increase, headway fall as well requiring more vehicles. If I follow the headway of the buses, you were seeing a bus every 30 seconds at the end of 30 years and that not going to happen without major problems. On the LRT side I looked at the different between using 1, 2 or 3 cars to the point after 30 years, you were seeing a 3 car train every 3 minutes.
I have never finalize this spreadsheet nor got around to adding in more info since 2010 and one of my many do items. The numbers don't lie nor did I try to skew things like a lot of consultants do to the point it has been backup by a peer review of planners and consultants around the world.
LRT is the way to go period even though parts of the corridor will never meet LRT numbers in the first place. TTC Subway system already shows that today after 40 years of service.
