Paris’ Vélib Program: In Trouble or Just Fine?

According to the BBC, “Over half the original fleet of 15,000 specially made bicycles have disappeared, presumed stolen. They have been used 42 million times since their introduction but vandalism and theft are taking their toll. The company which runs the scheme, JCDecaux, says it can no longer afford to operate the city-wide network.”[1]
Yet, this report may be more an alarmist report than an accurate reflection of the reality of Vélib in Paris today. Streetsblog counters that “Vélib is here to stay, according to officials and transportation experts familiar with the details of its operations. The BBC's portrayal of a mortal threat, they say, is best understood as a negotiating ploy on the part of JCDecaux. (Note that the JCDecaux representative is the only source quoted in that story.) ‘Decaux is using media sensationalism in order to obtain more money from the city of Paris,’ said Denis Baupin, who as Deputy Mayor for Transportation oversaw the Vélib launch in the summer of 2007.”[2]
Bike-sharing programs are a media-friendly way of trying to “go green” and are appropriate to almost any setting. Vélib has been a popular, seemingly successful example of a wide-spread bike-share program. As advocates of bicycle and smart urban and suburban form, we should keep our eyes on how Vélib is working out.
For more information and to read the articles quoted in the post, please visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7881079.stm and http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/02/12/reports-of-velibs-demise-greatly-exaggerated/.


[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7881079.stm
[2] http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/02/12/reports-of-velibs-demise-greatly-exaggerated/

Read more »

Personal Rapid Transit Startup

By Kevin Bullis
Originally published in Technology Review, Feb 09, 2009

A novel kind of transit system, in which cars are replaced by a network of automated electric vehicles, is about to get its first large-scale testing and deployment. Two of these Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) systems are being installed this year, one at Heathrow International Airport, near London, and one in the United Arab Emirates, where it will be the primary source of transportation in Masdar City, a development that will eventually accommodate 50,000 people and 1,500 businesses and is designed to emit no carbon dioxide.
PRT systems are supposed to combine the convenience and privacy of automobiles with the environmental benefits of mass transit. Automated electric vehicles, or pods, each designed to carry from four to six people, wait at stations throughout a city or development, like taxis waiting at taxi stands. A person or group gets in a pod and selects a destination and the vehicle drives there directly.
The concept isn't new--the basic idea goes back at least to the 1950s. But it hasn't caught on for a variety of reasons, including the cost of the initial systems and the difficulty of integrating them into existing cities. A number of small test systems have been installed, and one system that is similar to a PRT has been in operation in Morgantown, WV, since the 1970s. But the systems at Heathrow and in the UAE will be the first real-world demonstrations of a true PRT.
Although PRT systems vary, the basic design involves a network of stations connected by a track that loops past all of the stations in a system. Large networks can include many interconnected loops. When a vehicle leaves a station, it travels along an on-ramp until it merges with the main loop. When it reaches the destination station, it exits this central loop via an off-ramp. The ramps allow individual pods to stop at a station while others pods continue to travel at top speed along the main track. As a result, it can be faster than buses, which have to stop frequently. Simulations suggest that the systems could run with as little as half a second between each vehicle, but the initial systems, such as the one in Masdar City, will keep the vehicles three to four seconds apart--enough to stop a pod should the one in front of it suddenly break down. A central computer controls the traffic.
At both Heathrow and Masdar City, the vehicles will be battery-powered, driverless cars. The system at Heathrow--built by Advanced Transport Systems, based in Bristol, UK--uses cars powered by lead-acid batteries along a concrete track and guided by laser range finders, says Steve Raney, a consultant for the company. For Masdar City, a Dutch company called 2getthere has developed cars powered by more-advanced batteries made of lithium iron phosphate. The pods travel on pavement equipped with embedded magnets placed every five meters, which the vehicle uses, along with information about wheel angles and speed, to determine its location, says Robert Lohmann, the marketing manager at 2getthere. When a person selects a destination, a central computer designates a path for the vehicle, and an on-board computer makes sure the car sticks to the path.

Read more »

How Transit Provides Economic Stimulus

Economic stimulus has been hotly debated in Washington D.C. for the past week, and will most likely carry over into the next. Regardless of the final economic stimulus bill, one thing is certain, more stimulus money will go to roadway coonstruction than to transit. Critics argue that direct infrastructure investments provide for more jobs and greater impact on the economy. However, a new study by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute finds that over the long term, improving alternative modes of transportation (walking, cycling, and public transit) tends to create additional long-term economic savings and benefits.

The study looks mainly at the debate between urban highway expansion and those who advocate for investments in alternative modes of transportation. Highway expansion advocates tend to mainly on traffic congestion reduction, and ignore the negative effects of additional vehicle travel and automobile-oriented land development (sprawl). Advocates of alternative transportation tend to look at a wider range of impacts, including traffic congestion reduction, parking cost savings, accident reductions, improved mobility for non-drivers, and energy conservation.

One of the major reasons that transit can provide for greater economic stimulus now then ever before is the growing percentage of the population that is using transit. Motor vehicle ownership in the U.S. grew exponentially in the 20th Century, however this growth stopped around the year 2000 and has since declined slightly, as the market has become saturated. Over the last 10 years, transit travel has grown 24%, while vehicle miles traveled (VMT) has only increased 10%. Transit ridership growth has been due to a number of factors: rising fuel prices, changing population demographics, increasing urbanization, and increasing health and environmental concerns. While transit ridership only accounts for 2% of total U.S. trips, it serves a much larger portion of urban travel. In the Interstate 95 Corridor, transit serves large portions of peak hour urban travel in cities like New York City (55%), Washington D.C. (40%), Boston (30%), and Philadelphia (30%). These peak hour commuter trips provide relatively inexpensive travel to a large share of the working population in these major industrial centers. Transit's share is even higher to large commercial centers, increasing its economic impact. The transit agencies in these cities are also major employers, and can be just as vital to the regions they serve as any DOT, engineering firm, or contractor.

The study provides for an in-depth cost/benefit analysis of highway construction and increased alternative transportation. The analysis involves looking at the direct and indirect effects of increasing roadway capacity from a financial, social, and environmental perspective. Much of the traditional thoughts on increased capacity are challenged. Though the study concedes that traffic congestion will never disappear, even with the best alternative transportation system, high-quality grade separated public transit can attract people who would otherwise drive on more congested roadways. To read the full study, entitled Smart Transportation Economic Stimulation click here.

Read more »

Rider Paradox: Surge in Mass, Drop in Transit

Dilip Vishwanat for The New York Times

From The New York Times (2/4/09):
ST. LOUIS — Buses will no longer stop at some 2,300 stops in and around this city at the end of next month because, despite rising ridership, the struggling transit system plans to balance its books with layoffs and drastic service cuts.
St. Louis may be girding itself for some of the most extreme transit cuts in the nation, but it is hardly alone. Transit systems across the country are raising fares and cutting service even when demand is up with record numbers of riders last year, many of whom fled $4-a-gallon gas prices and stop-and-go traffic for seats on buses and trains.
One stop scheduled to be cut is in the western suburb of Chesterfield, Mo., just up the road from a bright, cheerful nursing home called the Garden View Care Center. Without those buses, roughly half of the center’s kitchen staff and half of its housekeeping staff — people like Laura Buxton, a cook known for her fried chicken who comes in from Illinois, and Danette Nacoste, who commutes two hours each way from her home in South St. Louis to her job in the laundry — will not have any other way to get to work.
“They’re going to be stranding a whole lot of people,” said Val Butler, a nurses’ assistant at Garden View, who said that she feared looking for work elsewhere in a tightening economy. “A lot of people are going to lose their jobs. A lot of people.”

Click HERE to read the full New York Times article

Read more »

Economic Stimulus II

As we continue to struggle to see what's included in the upcoming economic stimulus package we are continuing to look for direction and we have just been given some. Below are the websites that are being used for FHWA and FTA.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA):

"As you are aware, Congress is drafting economic recovery legislation which will include significant new funding for transportation infrastructure. While the details and timing of the proposal are still being debated, the legislation could become law as early as mid-February.
The Federal Highway Administration stands ready to implement the economic recovery and is taking steps to ensure effective coordination and support among federal agencies as well as preparing our partners and stakeholders to implement the recovery legislation as expeditiously as possible. To assist all state and local agencies in this preparation we have established this economic recovery web page which includes a series of key questions and answers (Q&As). These Q&As will continue to be updated as more information becomes available and this web page will provide all stakeholders with the latest information.
We have also developed and posted a list of actions that can be taken to expedite the economic recovery delivery. We encourage all potential recipients of highway-related economic recovery funding to review and move forward on those items that are applicable.
If you have any questions with regard to these materials please contact Gloria Shepherd, Associate Administrator for Planning, Environment, and Realty at mailto:gloria.shepherd@dot.gov"
Jeffrey F. Paniati Executive Director, Federal Highway Administration

To review their website click here...

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA):

"This version of FTA guidance reflects assumptions contained in draft legislation that is expected to change before it is enacted into law. Future updates to this page will reflect the most current version of the economic recovery legislation available.
Register for Automatic Updates on FTA Economic Recovery Information and Guidance Here.
As you know, Congress is developing legislation to support President Obama’s economic recovery plan. The legislation is expected to include significant new funding for transportation. While the details, timing, and funding levels of the proposal are not yet finalized, the legislation could become law as early as mid-February.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is taking action to support our grantees and other stakeholders in implementing the terms of the legislation as expeditiously as possible. We are also working closely with our federal partners to ensure effective coordination. One of our initial tasks involves working with state and local governments and public transportation providers to prepare projects that could be funded with additional resources as soon as the legislation is enacted.
To help keep you informed of how the economic recovery legislation affects our grantees and stakeholders, FTA will update this website as often as necessary. Please check back regularly for critical updates to guidance and other information.
Please do not hesitate to contact your FTA Regional Office, http://www.fta.dot.gov/regional_offices.html to discuss any questions or concerns not addressed here."

To review their website click here...

Read more »