Saturday, September 29, 2012

Buses


I'm reading a book called, "Energy for Future Presidents" by Berkeley Physics Professor Richard A. Mueller. I thought the following excerpt about buses was relevant, considering so many people complain about lack of Sam Trans service in Pacifica.  Also, some insist that increased bus service would alleviate the need to expand Highway 1, even though the San Mateo County Transportation Authority and Sam Trans have determined that 60 full buses per hour would be required to move traffic through town at the same rate the highway widening would, and therefore ruled it out as being too expensive and unrealistic.

Mueller is writing about efficient energy use rather than traffic congestion, but he offers his idea of when buses work and when they don't -

"Many people take it for granted that increased public transportation is the obvious solution to our overreliance on autos. Buses carry more people per pound than does a car, so you might think they would get more miles per gallon per person. And they would – if buses were always full. Public transportation can save enormous energy when used in crowded urban environments, but ironically, it can waste energy when used in suburbs and countryside.

If buses don't fill up, and if they have to make round-trips during rush hour – empty on return – then they might not save net energy. You can improve efficiency by using smaller buses during the slow hours, but then you run the risk of having to pass by people at some stops. It's hard to win. Moreover, buses make lots of stops and starts – and that frequent acceleration is when fuel efficiency drops enormously. If the bus has to take circuitous routes in order to get close to where passengers live, the passengers wind up traveling greater distances than if they drove their own cars. To get people into the habit of riding buses, buses must be available all during the day without long waits; otherwise people will take their cars. All this means that a lot of the buses spend a lot of time with only a few passengers.

A detailed study of bus transportation in the suburbs around the country done by the Institute of Transportation Studies at Berkeley found that the average break-even point is determined by population density. If there are more than 15 households per acre, then public transportation works. If the population density is lower, then using buses increases energy use. This means that if you live in a suburb with quarter-acre or even one-tenth-acre lots, your community will not save energy by establishing bus routes.

So beware of simplistic solutions such as “more public transportation.” There are often hidden subtleties and unintended consequences."

Posted by Steve Sinai

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ya, but Cal isn't a very good school.

Lionel Emde said...

" even though the San Mateo County Transportation Authority and Sam Trans have determined that 60 full buses per hour would be required to move traffic through town at the same rate the highway widening would, and therefore ruled it out as being too expensive and unrealistic."

If only we could believe a word that SMCTA and bankrupt SamTrans say.

Kathy Meeh said...

"San Mateo County Transportation Authority and Sam Trans have determined that 60 full buses per hour would be required to move traffic through town at the same rate the highway widening would, and therefore ruled it out as being too expensive and unrealistic." Steve Sinai from his article.

Thus, the practical solution for widening the 1.3 mile bottleneck in Pacifica.

Also, the article said, "if there are more than 15 households per acre, then public transportation works. If the population density is lower, then using buses increases energy use. This means that if you live in a suburb with quarter-acre or even one-tenth-acre lots, your community will not save energy by establishing bus routes."

The waste is energy, efficiency and expense. A Sam Trans representative spoke at our city council meeting, 9/18/12," explaining their new route analysis and service changes. For some less used routes there will be nearby migration, smaller buses, and ride request by appointment.

Anonymous said...

Shuttles. What about shuttle buses?

Or, Yellow School Buses? I see them used in other cities.

Anonymous said...

Didn't Sue Digree, say the same thing in her broken English?

Lionel Emde said...

The "solution" to a broken bus system is not a 1.3 mile dragstrip. Only a Caltrans committee would credit that as worthy of considering.

Completely irrational, but bureaucratically perfect.

Anonymous said...

Pacifica in one sentence:
People complaining about a drag strip replacing their traffic bottleneck.

Anonymous said...

Wait in the wise words of the de-facto mayor John Curtis he called the drive through behind Walgreens.

Pacifica's new drag strip.

What are we talking about.Put down the beer bong and focus.

Anonymous said...

Wake up city council! Samtrans is about to screw Pacifica, again. I'm sure you're "going thru the process" and solemnly hearing all the reasons Samtrans wants to cut all express bus service from Pacifica to Bart but how about thinking what that cut really says about Pacifica and about your effectiveness. We're a commuter community, providing housing to people who work elsewhere. Most of them work in SF. For decades we had express bus service to downtown SF in 40 minutes. That disappeared about 8 years ago and was replaced by express bus service to Bart in 17 minutes. That was fine. People can hop Bart in to the city, to the peninsula, to the East Bay. Groovy. Now Samtrans wants to eliminate all express bus service from Pacifica due to low ridership. Recession? You think? They propose leaving us, a commuter community, with the milkruns that wind their way thru Daly City to Bart in about 45 minutes. Not the way for a working person to start or end their day. I'll be driving in that traffic mess on hiway 1 as will many others. Isn't efficient public transit an amenity that is usually found in commuter land? Do prospective new residents look for that as they weigh their options? You better believe it!
If the buses aren't full then use smaller buses Samtrans. The job market will improve and people will need to get to work. Transit needs to be there for them. Come on City Council. Don't let this be one more item on the long list of things this pathetic town doesn't have. Grow a pair!

Anonymous said...

Tell me someone who hasn't pulled the wool over the city's eyes.

Anonymous said...

I'm thinkin' I'm thinkin' .. uh there's got to be someone, sometime that didn't totally bamboozle this town.
A little help here?

Anonymous said...

Still thinking. This is harder than it sounds.

Steve Sinai said...

Anon@3:49, it's better for the environment and costs Sam Trans less if you do drive, rather than having their buses tooling around with hardly anybody riding them.

Anonymous said...

Steve Sinai, It's better for me if I ride the bus! And I'm not alone in that personal preference. Samtrans should be able to figure out how to make it work so that a choice is available to Pacifica commuters just as it is in other Samtrans service areas. Or, not.

Anonymous said...

Sinai

When is the last time you rode a.bus?

Anonymous said...

sure Sinai if we believe berkeley Physics Professor Mueller

Anonymous said...

At this rate there will soon be no bus service in Pacifica. For some people that will be an enormous hardship not just an inconvenience.

Steve Sinai said...

"When is the last time you rode a.bus?"

Last year going to a 49ers game at Candlestick.

I normally drive my Hummer.

Anonymous said...

You drive a crappy pick up truck

Anonymous said...

Sinai, you know zilch about football

You have never been to a niner game

Steve Sinai said...

"You have never been to a niner game"

I sit with Jed and Trent up in the owner's box.

Anonymous said...

Doesn't mean you, or they, know anything about football.

Anonymous said...

Trent Dilfer?

Anonymous said...

The answer is Trent Dilfet and the question is worst qb to ever win a super bowl? Oh you mean Trent Balke.....yeah you are hanging with York.......

Anonymous said...

yo wedo. Dilfer had the awesome Raven D which was led by Ray Lewis.

You don't want to piss off Mr. Lewis.

Anonymous said...

Trent Dilfer? Even the guy's name is ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Ya but he played in the NFL. You played solo!

Anonymous said...

Didn't need anyone else.