PTC E-News 8

1 Local News

1.1 John Pearce has his say!
1.2 Public Transit Workshops upcoming
1.3 The Richmond St. View

2 National

2.1 VIA goes wireless!
2.2 Maple Ridge mini-bus introduction
2.3 CUTA-ACTU Youth Summit on Sustainable Urban Transportation
2.4 7th World Congress on Railway Research steams into Montreal

3 International

3.1 Investments to curb air pollution pay off economically: UNEP
3.2 A look at the Portland, OR Trimet hybrid buses!!
3.3 The eco road trip


1 Local

1.1 John Pearce has his say!

Past Transport 2000 Atlantic president John Pearce was in Charlottetown last week and he took the time to hop on the Charlottetown Transit to informally evaluate the city's new bus lines. Here are his rough notes he sent to us:

PEI Charlottetown Transit Comments after rides on all four routes:

1. The wood seats in currently leased buses (Champlain: Quebec City) are
O.K. but not too comfortable. More comfortable ones should be specified for those
purchased later in 2006.
2. From passenger analysis for one day, it would appear that route 1 is
the most popular followed by route 4. (see analysis of one day ONLY,
below). A breakdown of traffic by routes should be sought to assess
which routes should have more frequent or longer hours of service.
3. The extra morning rush hour express runs are good news. More should
likely be added morning and later afternoon on #1 route and perhaps #4.
4. The inter-bus radio communication is good. Bus drivers are using it
to advise other drivers of transfers and to help new drivers running
late, uncertain of route etc.
5. Drivers seem helpful and interested but complain of low pay ($11. per
hour vs. $24 in Vancouver). But I wouldn't want to drive a bus in
Vancouver's very congested traffic.
6. UPEI and the Queen Elizabeth hospital seem underserved. There is
great potential at UPEI if a U-pass system can be started AND the 3
different stops on 3 routes can be co-located. There is only one bus
(#4) to the hospital and since it doesn't run in the evening it is not
much help on 12 hour nursing shifts or for evening visits to in-patients.
7. There is a need to intervene to promote the U-pass at UPEI (and
perhaps Holland College) with bus management, the city, and UPEI
administration and students!!
8. As noted above, the next expansion should be a more frequent morning
and late afternoon rush hour service, especially between downtown and
UPEI. Both students and hospital staff/visitors would benefit from
parts of routes #1 and #4 extended into the early to mid-evening (say 9
pm).
This would likely require a "split shift" for some drivers (i.e. 6 to 9
am and 3 to 8:30 pm) with perhaps bonus pay.
9. I understand shelters are coming for busy, exposed corners.
10. Bus stop signs should contain numbers of routes served as in Halifax
and (if possible) a map and timetable in weatherproof case as in Ottawa.
11. Route maps and timetables should be agressively distributed by
drivers, in the media, and by Eco-PEI, Transit Coalition, and Transport
2000.
12. Of course, political overtures should be made to ensure receipt to
federal transit funding.

Average passengers observed at Charlottetown Mall and Confederation
Centre 10 am to noon and 2:30 pm to 5:15pm on Feb. 24: (* = evening
rush hour, needs more service, I suspect) #1 2,5,9,4,11* = 6 average. #2 1, 6, 1, 1 = 2
#3 1, 1, 1 = 1 #4 2, 2, 6, 0, 13* = 4 1/2
(Go down to Confederation Centre and do occasional statistical counts,
get a reliable date base and perhaps publish them).


1.2 Public Transit Workshops upcoming

We're one week away from the first of two Public Transit Workshops being put on by the PEI Public Transit Coalition! The first workshop, in Souris on March 17, will run from 10:00 to 14:00. Anyone still interested in participating should call Aaron at the PTC Office at 566-4696 to register. The workshop scheduled for West Prince will take place on March 27, times and location still to be worked out. Again, get in touch with Aaron to confirm your attendance! Come on out and learn more about the benefits of rural public transit for all Islanders!

1.3 The Richmond St. View

This is a new section, one I hope future bloggers on this site will contribute to.
Here is my weekly rant:
My problem is always cash. Cash is a commodity nowadays, as it seems everything is dependent on plastic instead of paper. Bank cards are steadily becoming the fastest and the easiest way to add to our burgeoning GDP. I know our transit system is chronologically in arrears, seeing as it was just yesterday in October that life was again restored to Canada's smallest provincial capital. Yet I want a bus card already. The first day I rode the bus I had to fork over to the driver a five-dollar American bill for a chance to "try" them. I know, you're thinking, "what the heck was he thinking?", but I had no time to get change nor could I convince any bystanders to throw me a toonie. I heard Olive Bryanton mention at our PTC Steering Committee meeting that putting a machine or at least allowing the driver to make change for needy passengers (read ME) was not an issue due to the threat of robbery and the way it would slow down the service. My first response is that if Charlottetown has turned into the Old West then perhaps I should move to Arkansas. My second response is that, after checking out a number of transit services on-line, the most successful systems are operating WITH either a machine, with rider cards or with change available for tokens on board! I know that Charlottetown Transit is in its infancy; some of these transit services I looked at have been in operation for decades. But part of me cries out to want to LEARN from what others have done and push for a user-friendly purchase option (this is a PUBLIC transit system, right?) that will not only increase ridership but save me from making an a** of myself on the corner of Queen and Grafton as I dance a hornpipe for a toonie.
I welcome your comments because, after all, this is the view from Richmond St.


2 National

2.1 VIA goes wireless!

DIANA PEREIRA
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
So much for the view: On trains from Toronto to Montreal and Quebec, it's not uncommon to see suits hunched over their laptops, desperately typing before arrival. Now, business travellers can also surf the Net while they ride the rails. Last week, Via Rail became the first train system in North America to launch wireless Internet service. Access is currently available on board Via 1 class trains, with more to come.

2.2 Maple Ridge mini-bus introduction

Maple Ridge Times On-Line , from June 14, 2005

Mini-buses gets unveiled

A fleet of new mini-buses will be coming to Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows later this summer, serving smaller routes than TransLink has bothered with in the past.
The 35 buses will serve the Port Coquitlam area along with local routes, said Brenda Fernie, Coast Mountain Bus Company's manager of community shuttles.
The shuttle buses can carry up to 24 passengers, including two wheelchair or scooter passengers and have a front-mounted bike rack for two bicycles.
One of the new shuttles was on display near the Maple Ridge downtown core last Friday as part of Bike to Work Week festivities. However, that shuttle is actually a prototype and will be sold to West Vancouver Transit, Fernie said.
The first of the new buses to actually enter service will arrive in August, and more will be added until November.
The shuttles are aimed at two types of routes that are currently not served, said Fernie.
Firstly, the buses will be put on the more rural and suburban routes where it isn't economical to assign a full-sized bus. The shuttles are cheaper to run and don't need to pick up as many riders to break even, Fernie said. The shuttles will also be put onto routes in the urban core areas where buses simply couldn't fit.
Narrow roads and sharp turns keep large buses off some routes that the shuttles can serve.
The shuttle routes will connect to the conventional bus routes.
There have been shuttle buses on some Lower Mainland routes for a few years, but the new buses will be slightly larger and are made by a different manufacturer.
TransLink has switched from a Ford-based bus to a GMC model called the Aero Star Elite.
The change has included a number of upgrades, including the bike and wheelchair accommodations and the fact that the change box will be easier to reach.


2.3 CUTA-ACTU Youth Summit on Sustainable Urban Transportation

[as posted to GoodWork 1. http://www.GoodWorkCanada.ca ]
[plus topical links and resources, below - ed ]
EVENT / LEARNING / NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
International Youth Summit on Sustainable Urban Transportation
/ Le Sommet international des jeunes sur le transport urbain durable
Canadian Urban Transit Association CUTA
/ Association canadienne du transport urbain ACTU
http://www.cutaactu.ca
Date posted to GoodWorkCanada.ca: Mar 7, 2006
Application deadline: Mar 31, 2006
Summit Dates: July 12-17, 2006
Location: Montréal * Quebec * Canada
"Building leadership in urban sustainability"
Are you interested in sustainable cities? Would you like
to get involved in a sustainable transportation project or
initiative but don't know where to start?
While the road to urban sustainability may be challenging,
it is also exciting and worthwhile. Cities in Canada and
around the world are taking sustainability seriously and,
as leaders of tomorrow, youth have an important role to
play in creating positive change. From leading by example
to launching new projects and initiatives it is clear that
sustainable transportation matters!
The International Youth Summit on Sustainable Urban
Transportation creates an opportunity for delegates to:
* Discuss and discover the role of transit, walking
and cycling in fostering urban sustainability
* Learn about international best practices in urban
and transportation planning
* Initiate a mentor assisted project or activity relating
to a sustainable transportation theme
* Build a network of contacts who are national or
international leaders in: urban and transportation planning,
the transit industry, quality of life, traffic calming and
urban sustainability
* Meet people with common interests and HAVE FUN!
Spaces available for 80 action inspired youth, between
the ages of 18 and 24.
TO APPLY / FOR MORE INFORMATION
To download an application form and for more
information go to: http://www.youthsummit.ca
Application Deadline:
* Friday 31 March 2006 (Canadian Applicants)
* Friday 7 April 2006 (International Applicants)
____________________________________________
Le Sommet international des jeunes sur le transport urbain durable
« Pour bâtir le leadership de développement urbain durable »
Montréal * Québec * Canada
Du 12 au 17 juillet 2006
Es-tu intéressé par le développement urbain durable? As-tu
envie de t'impliquerdans un projet ou de poser une action
pour le transport durable sans savoir par où commencer?
Même si la voie vers le développement urbain durable
s'avère être un défi, elle est également stimulante et
valorisante. Les villes canadiennes et du monde entier
prennent le développement durable au sérieux et, en tant
que leaders de demain, les jeunes ont un rôle important
à jouer afin d'apporter un changement positif. Que ce soit
en montrant l'exemple ou en lançant des projets, il est
clair que le transport durable, ça compte!
Le Sommet international des jeunes sur le transport urbain
durable offre une occasion aux délégués:
* De discuter et découvrir le rôle du transport en commun,
de la marche et de la bicyclette dans la quête du
développement urbain durable
* D'apprendre sur les meilleures pratiques internationales
en planification du transport et du développement urbain
* D'amorcer un projet ou une activité dirigée portant sur
le transport urbain durable
* De développer un réseau de relations avec des leaders
nationaux ou internationaux dans les milieux tels que : la planification des transports et du développement urbain,
l'industrie du transport en commun, l'étude de la qualité
de vie, la réduction de la congestion urbaine et le
développement urbain durable
* De rencontrer des gens qui ont des intérêts en commun
et avoir du plaisir!
Il y 80 places disponibles pour des jeunes motivés et
inspirés, âgés entre 18 et 24 ans.
Pour télécharger le formulaire de demande d'inscription et
obtenir de plus amples informations, visitez le :
http://www.sommetdesjeunes.ca
Date limite pour les demandes:
* Vendredi 31 mars 2006 (Candidats canadiens)
* Vendredi le 7 avril 2006 (Candidats Internationaux)



2.4 7th World Congress on Railway Research steams into Montreal

Feb 8, 2006 (From http://www.railcan.ca/sec_new/en_new_details.asp?newId=892)

More than 600 world leaders and innovators in the railway industry from 30 countries will meet in Montreal in June to share their knowledge, experience and insights into moving the billions of tons of freight and millions of people that they move by rail each day now, and in the future.

The occasion will be the 7th World Congress on Railway Research June 4-8 at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. The Congress will also attract to Montréal the CEOs and their deputies who run the member railways in the Paris-based International Union of Railways, (AREMA) Board members’ and committee chairmen of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association and the AAR Railway Technology Working Committee. Three hundred technical papers have been vetted for the conference.

The theme of the conference, Progressing Together “reflects the need for railways to work together, and with their partners, to develop modern technologies and processes that help prevent problems and create solutions,” says Congress chair Roy Allen.

Topics under discussion “will include the technical, societal and financial challenges facing railways around the world. Awards will be presented for the best research papers given at the conference.

Bombardier Inc. is the Congress’ Platinum sponsor; VAE Nortrak, Gold sponsor and Siemens, Silver. CAD Railway Services, Plasser Canada, Agence métropolitaine de transport and the Railway Association of Canada are in the special sponsors’ category.

The Montreal conference will provide industry suppliers with the first opportunity to show their wares not only at the hotel exhibits but also on the tracks at nearby Lucien L’Allier Commuter Station. Locomotives, freight and passenger rolling stock, and specialized training equipment will be on display there. There will also be technical tours of rail facilities such as maintenance centres, intermodal yards and research venues in the Montreal area and Ottawa.

Mike Lowenger, Vice-president of Operations and Regulatory Affairs with the Railway Association of Canada, and chairman of the host committee, says Montreal was a natural choice for the conference. VIA Rail, CN, Canadian Pacific Railway, AMT, CANAC, other suppliers and short line operators all have extensive facilities here.

Having the conference in North America will shift the focus of the event more closely on the freight-dominated railways of Canada and the United States. At the same time, the North Americans may gain valuable insights from the Europeans and Japanese on how to improve passenger rail service.

“It is an opportunity for us to show what we do in North America,” said Lowenger. “That includes the use of advanced trackside detectors to monitor the condition of wheels and other gear on passing trains, locomotives with greatly reduced pollution and emissions and futuristic track maintenance systems.”
North American railways have made major strides in the last few years in working together to handle a growing volume of freight traffic and to accommodate a rising demand for passenger, especially commuter, transportation. As well, railways are making major strides in improving security overall, he noted.

The Railway Association and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities will explain the proximity initiatives they have developed to help railways and communities get along and grow, safely, together, Lowenger added

The Congress in Montreal will not be all work and no play, though. Organizers are planning social events for delegates and spouses that will build on the receptions and dinners already on the full program.

The first research congress was held in 1994 in Paris, the home of the International Union of Railways. It was inspired by the success of a railway research workshop held in Tokyo in 1992 that attracted more than 1,000 delegates. Then, as now, the aim was “to promote and enhance international co-operation among railway companies, manufacturers and their component-suppliers, as well as representatives from the fields of research and science, through papers, poster-sessions and open discussion.”

It was followed by sessions in Colorado Springs, Italy, Japan, Germany and Scotland in 2004. The 2008 congress will be in Seoul. The National Railways of the Republic of Korea, the Korean National Railway Authority and the Korean Railway Research Institute will be responsible for organizing that event. The host railways will collaborate with the Japanese Railway Technical Research Institute, and the China Academy of Railway Sciences.

For more details, visit www.wcrr2006.org.

Contact Information:

Roger Cameron
Railway Association of Canada
Tel: 1-613-564-8097
rogerc@railcan.ca

Peggy Herman
Transportation Technology Center, Inc.
Tel : 1-719-584-0576
peggy_herman@ttci.aar.com

Paul Véron
UIC (International Union of Railways)
Tel.: +33 1 44 49 20 50
veron@uic.asso.fr


3 International

3.1 Investments to curb air pollution pay off economically: UNEP

7 February 2006 – Governments that invest in air pollution control measures can save billions of dollars as health care costs are slashed, worker productivity soars and ecosystems flourish, according to a report released today in Dubai by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).
These savings, along with other economic gains such as sounder bridges, public buildings and other infrastructure that endure less corrosive air pollutants can be six times greater than the initial investments in techniques and equipment to curb air pollution, says UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook Year Book 2006.
Released at the environmental agency’s Global Ministerial Environment Forum now underway in the United Arab Emirates, this year’s Year Book focuses on energy’s impact on air quality. The leaders gathering at the Forum, which ends tomorrow, are looking at ways to deliver sustainable energy and environmentally safe tourist activities.
Klaus Toepfer, UNEP’s Executive Director, said governments should set the framework for industry, trade unions and civil society to promote energy efficiency and diversify the world’s sources of energy away from fossil fuels.
“The benefits, as the new GEO Year Book shows, are potentially huge, covering health, environment, improved management of natural resources, reducing the risks of climate change and, last but not in least, improved security regionally, nationally and at the level of households,” Mr. Toepfer said.
The report’s findings on the economic savings emanating from investments in air pollution controls stem from work by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the experiences of city governments in Mexico City and Santiago, Chile.
The United States agency, for example, estimates that the economic benefits of the country’s Clean Air Act will total $690 billion over the 20-year period that ends in 2010. A Santiago study assessed the financial benefits stemming from compliance with the Santiago Decontamination Plan at $4 billion during a 15-year period.
These studies mirror a new report by the European Commission on achieving improved air quality standards by 2020. The Commission estimates that an investment of around €7 billion to reduce air pollution will deliver €42 billion in economic benefits as a result of “fewer premature deaths, less sickness, fewer hospital admissions and improved labour productivity.”
The Year Book finds that indoor air pollution may be responsible for up to 2.4 million premature deaths a year while outdoor air pollution from industries and vehicle may trigger about 800,000 premature deaths annually, with 65 per cent of the deaths occurring in the developing countries of Asia.
In a related development at the Forum, environment and health ministers agreed to a new global initiative aimed at making chemicals safer for humans and the planet.
Called the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, the new initiative covers a wide range of activities surrounding the manufacture and use of chemicals, from harmonizing labeling to dealing with obsolete and stockpiled products.
It also carries provisions for national centres aimed at helping countries, especially in the developing world, train staff in chemical safety and to deal with spills and accidents.
The voluntary agreement puts governments on track to meet a commitment made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002.


3.2 A look at the Portland, OR Trimet hybrid buses!!

TriMet's environmentally friendly hybrid bus

TriMet cares about the health of our environment and has taken numerous steps to protect it. Right now, we're among only a handful of transit agencies in the country testing the next generation of cleaner, more efficient buses.

Innovative technology and design

TriMet is testing a new version of hybrid bus. Its diesel engine powers an electrical generator which charges a battery pack on the roof. The batteries then power an electric motor that turns the wheels. (The diesel engine also powers the air conditioning.) When the bus slows down during braking, it sends extra energy to further charge the batteries. This is called regenerative braking.

Creating the perfect bus

The hybrid electric engine performs at its best in stop-and-go traffic, where it can make the most of regenerative braking. That makes it ideal for transit buses. Hybrid bus manufacturer, New Flyer of America, along with its hybrid propulsion system suppliers Allison Drives, Inc., and Cummins Corp., have partnered with TriMet to test and evaluate these exciting new buses over the next two years.
Cleaner
TriMet is drastically reducing the pollutants from our buses. Electric hybrid buses will reduce the amount even more-possibly cutting current emissions by 75 percent. That's because the hybrid's diesel engine is smaller—more like an engine in a large pickup truck. A regular diesel bus emits the most pollution when it accelerates from a stop or goes up hill. The hybrid bus uses electric power from its batteries, drastically reducing emissions in these situations.
Quieter
With its smaller diesel engine, the hybrid bus has lower engine noise. This innovative bus also accelerates and goes up hills without revving the engine.
More efficient
Electric hybrid buses are up to 50 percent more fuel efficient than regular buses. Currently, TriMet spends approximately $10,000 a year to fuel a regular diesel bus.

Less costly to maintain
Hybrid buses also cost less to maintain, due to:
Brakes that last twice as long, thanks to regenerative braking
No transmission to maintain
Decreased wear on the suspension

Down the road

If these tests succeed, TriMet will buy more hybrids to replace its regular diesel buses as they are retired. Diesel-electric hybrids offer the most promising fuel alternative for air-pollution reductions until zero emission "fuel cell" technology is developed. Fuel cell technology is expected to be available for transit vehicles within the next 10 years.



3.3 The eco road trip

OMAR EL-AKKAD
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
‘We're addressing some fundamental needs in transportation and energy,” Pierre Rivard says. “I think the two are linked in a fundamental way.”
To put it simply, the president and chief executive officer of Mississauga-based Hydrogenics Corp., wants to forever change the way we view vehicles. The head of Canada's second-largest fuel-cell company has a vision of future road travel that flies in the face of today's car culture. Instead of guzzling increasingly expensive gas, fuel-cell powered vehicles are about as green as they come.
And if Hydrogenics' relatively new technology eventually penetrates what Rivard calls “the ultimate market” — the cars on the road — the result could be better-performing cars that make the traditional road trip a much less expensive adventure. Even at a fairly infantile stage of development, today's rare hydrogen cars get two to three times the mileage of regular cars.But besides the savings on energy, fuel-cell vehicles will also allow car makers more flexibility when designing new models. The DVD players, iPod docks and all manner of gizmos that currently strangle the batteries of conventional cars will have a lot more juice to feed on. And without a conventional engine chugging along, the ride will be a lot smoother.
Of course, Rivard, a mechanical engineer by training, knows there are a lot of potential speed bumps between today and a time when fuel-cell cars are the norm — or at least a viable alternative to the regular car. The cost of the new technology is still sky-high, and demand for alternative energy tends to rise and fall with the price of oil, which drivers seem able to tolerate even at $70 (U.S.) a barrel.
But that's not stopping Rivard and Hydrogenics from dreaming big. One of his most audacious goals is something he calls “the Internet of energy” — linking up fuel-cell cars to a stationary electricity grid, so that the cars function as moving batteries while driving across a city. Essentially, cars would send the excess electricity they generate back to the grid, so it can be used elsewhere.
It's a long shot, but if Rivard's vision turns out to be accurate, it will change everything from how developing countries generate electricity to how you take that road trip to Whistler.