P.E.I. P.T.C. E-News February 2007

1. Local

1.1 –Improving Transit Services For Islanders With Disabilities
1.2 -Province Funds Over Half a Million Dollars For Public Transit
1.3 -Public Transit Capital Trust Approves 3 New Projects

2. National

2.1 –Going Green: The City Of Hamilton Makes Its Largest Low-Emission
Bus Purchase Ever
2.2 -Cleaner Air For Saint John: Over $4.8 Million To Improve Public Transit
2.3 -New Buses for Whitehorse Thanks to Federal Funding of $1.24 Million
2.4 -Cleaner Air for Fredericton: $1.9 Million to Improve Public Transit
2.5 -Canada’s New Government Invests $37.5 Million Into Transit In Nova Scotia

3. International

3.1 -Ecuadorian City Winning Against Traffic, Pollution Problems
3.2 -Urbanization's Green Outgrowth



1.Local

1.1 Improving Transit Services For Islanders With Disabilities
Wednesday January 31, 2007
Autumn Tremere, Community and Cultural Affairs

Pat and the Elephant has unveiled the second of two new vans accessible to Islanders with disabilities. The vans were purchased thanks to $125,000 from the Government of Canada’s Public Transit Fund.
Pat and the Elephant now has two vans to provide transit services to users with disabilities in P.E.I. The two vans were purchased during the fall of 2006, and both were fully operational and on the roads of Prince Edward Island for the start of 2007. Pat and the Elephant is also receiving $125,000 from the Public Transit Capital Trust which will be used to purchase another two new specially equipped vans.
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, noted, “By investing in helping Islanders with disabilities to use public transit, Canada’s New Government is delivering on our Budget 2006 commitment to provide Canadians with a healthy environment and a high quality of life. We are proud to provide this funding to support accessibility, a healthy environment and a higher quality of life.”
“Pat and the Elephant is committed to providing an excellent transportation service to people with a broad range of disabilities,” said Premier Pat Binns. “The province of P.E.I. is pleased to assist this wonderful organization, as it fulfills its commitment to provide reliable, accessible transportation to Islanders with mobility challenges.”
P.E.I. Infrastructure Minister, the Honourable Elmer MacFadyen, said: “I’m extremely proud that we as Islanders are recognizing and acting upon the need to continue to upgrade this service in our community for those with disabilities.”
The four vans feature hydraulic lifts, ramps, special tie-downs and seatbelts to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers. The vehicles can hold up to three persons in wheelchairs and three passengers using regular seating. Services are available year round, from 7a.m. to 11 p.m.
“Being able to get from one place to another is important to Islanders with disabilities,” said Tom DeBlois, President of Pat and the Elephant. “The vans provide a safe, convenient way for Islanders in need to get around, especially in bad weather.”
Pat and the Elephant was founded by Patricia Rogers in 1975, Pat and the Elephant is a non-profit organization located in Queens County of Prince Edward Island. They are committed to providing an excellent transportation service to people with a broad range of disabilities by means of accessible vehicles with trained knowledgeable staff. They service individuals who are visually impaired, have artificial limbs, hearing impaired, and/or wheelchair mobile.
Their clients range in age from 16 months to 100 plus and are transported to locations such as daycare, school, university, the doctor’s clinic, the Seniors Active Living Centre, the grocery store, and to the homes of family and friends. For visitors to the province, Pat and the Elephant can do tours to any of the Island’s tourist attractions.
Pat and the Elephant clients are “People Going Places” and travel in specially-equipped vans with hydraulic lifts, ramps, special tie-downs, and seatbelts. A wheelchair can be provided, at no extra cost, to ensure all clients are able to complete their outings.
Prince Edward Island’s share of the federal Public Transit Fund is more than $1.7 million. This builds on Island infrastructure investments by Canada of $37.5 million through the Gas Tax Fund, $3.8 million through the Public Transit Capital Trust, $33 million through the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund and $98 million through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund.

1.2 Province Funds Over Half a Million Dollars For Public Transit
Friday, January 5, 2007
Autumn Tremere, Community and Cultural Affairs

Today the Hon. Elmer MacFadyen, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs, was pleased to announce $530,000 in funding for the Charlottetown Transit System. This funding was made possible through the Public Transit Capital Trust Program.
“Public transit is a key feature of vibrant, liveable communities and our government recognizes the need to improve our transit system,” says Minister MacFadyen. “Charlottetown residents want reliable, sustainable public transit. Our government is very pleased to work with Island municipalities to ensure funding for these projects is forthcoming, today and for years to come.”
This funding will allow for the purchasing of one new transit bus, 11 bus shelters, modification to curbing and satellite terminals at two mall areas.
“As Mayor of the Capital City of Prince Edward Island, I am extremely pleased to accept this much-needed funding from our provincial government,” said Mayor Clifford Lee. “These new bus shelters will make waiting for buses much more comfortable. The new bus will replace the Caboose which is at the end of its service life.”
The Charlottetown Transit system runs Monday to Saturday from 6:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. within Charlottetown. For more information on bus schedules, contact: 902-566-9962. The transit system is an environmentally friendly means of transportation.
“This funding will help our capital city meet its objective and provide for a cleaner, healthier environment,” said Minister MacFadyen. “I look forward to our continued relationship with the Charlottetown Transit system.”


1.3 Public Transit Capital Trust Approves 3 New Projects
Wednesday January 31st, 2007
Autumn Tremere, Community and Cultural Affairs

The Honourable Elmer MacFadyen, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs, today announced four new projects funded under the Public Transit Capital Trust (PTCT). The PTCT is federally-funded and administered by the Province of P.E.I.
Recipients of the funding include Transportation West Inc., Pat and the Elephant, P.E.I. Public Transit Coalition and the Towns of Cornwall and Stratford.
“Canada’s New Government is pleased to support initiatives that help disabled people enjoy mobility and all Islanders enjoy improved air quality,” said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
“The Province is pleased to work collaboratively with the federal and local governments on these projects which will have a direct impact on residents,” said Minister MacFadyen. “These projects will help to maintain vibrant communities in rural and urban areas of the province.”
The PTCT was created to support capital investments in public transit infrastructure, contributing to P.E.I.’s environmental goals. It was created in 2006 with a one-time $3.8 million contribution from the Government of Canada and is administered by the province of P.E.I.
Transportation West Inc. will receive $215,000 to replace two buses and one six-passenger van.
Transportation West Inc. is a community-driven organization providing transit services primarily for mobility-challenged residents in the Western P.E.I. region. “The current fleet is old,” said John Kenny, chairperson of Transportation West Inc. “The new vehicles will lower maintenance costs and improve dependability for our riders.”
“Transportation West is a vital part of our community,” said the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Transportation and Public Works and MLA for District 27. “I am so pleased that our government is recognizing their contribution and providing this much needed funding.”
Transportation West Inc. is a not-for-profit, community-driven organization. It has been operating since 1999, serving those with needs in the West Prince area. Transportation West Inc. provides accessible transportation for people with special needs (debilitating conditions, seniors, and people who lack transportation) in the Western region of P.E.I. Transportation West covers approximately 300 square kilometers north and west of Harmony and Northam Roads.
Their service provides typically 40 to 50 passenger trips per day in their wheelchair accessible vehicles. However, Transportation West’s vehicles are aging and have become unreliable. Replacing the current fleet will allow Transportation West to continue offering dependable, cost-efficient transportation services to the residents of Western P.E.I., particularly those who require special attention and devices for safe travel.
For more information, contact John Kenny, Chairperson of Transportation West Inc., (902) 853-2069.

The PTCT is also funding two studies for the P.E.I. Public Transit Coalition and the Towns of Cornwall and Stratford.
The P.E.I. Public Transit Coalition will receive $125,000 to conduct a regional transit study. This study will include contracting a professional public transit consultancy firm to examine the viability and resources required to establish an Island-wide public transit system.
“The recent approval of resources to undertake a feasibility study into Island-wide public transit, through the Public Transit Trust program, is exciting,” says Public Transit Coalition outreach officer, Daniel McRae. “We believe this study will allow communities to develop a vision of how a local and across-Island transit system might improve rural residents access to community health and educational resources as well as job opportunities.”
The aerospace sector is also excited to hear about the approval of funding for the feasibility study. Willard Horne, Executive Director of the Aerospace Sector Council notes, “We feel strongly that a lack of affordable transportation acts as a significant employment barrier for many Islanders and creates recruiting challenges for employers, especially those with large seasonal fluctuations.”
The Towns of Cornwall and Stratford will partner for a Transit Feasibility Study, receiving $40,000 from the PTCT. These two towns are growing rapidly and through this funding the Towns of Cornwall and Stratford will commission a study to examine the necessity and the practicality of public transit systems.
“The Town of Stratford is very pleased to be receiving funding from the federal and provincial governments to carry out a transit study,” stated Kevin Jenkins, Mayor of the Town of Stratford. “The assessment of transit demand, and the examination of a range of options to meet that demand, will allow Council to make an informed decision on transit for our residents.”
Patrick MacFadyen, Mayor of the Town of Cornwall stated, “We are delighted that the federal and provincial governments are helping to move this initiative forward. Without their support a regional transit system would not be possible.”
The Town of Cornwall (2001 Census: population 4,412) and the Town of Stratford (2001 Census: population 6,314) are growing rapidly in relation to the rest of the province.
In recent years, the City of Charlottetown has established a transit system, which is delivered through a contract with private operator Trius Tours. Many residents of Stratford and Cornwall commute to Charlottetown to work and for personal business; therefore, the Towns of Cornwall and Stratford wish to see if there is validity in expanding a transit system to serve their residents.
The Towns of Cornwall and Stratford have commissioned a study to examine the feasibility of an expanded transit system. The study will be carried out as one study, but each Town will be examined independently and recommendations made for each.

2. National

2.1 Going Green: The City Of Hamilton Makes Its Largest Low-Emission
Bus Purchase Ever
February 5th, 2007
Infrastructure Canada

David Sweet, M.P. for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, together with Hamilton West MPP Judy Marsales, and His Worship Fred Eisenberger, Mayor of Hamilton, today announced a major initiative to improve Hamiltonians’ bus service.
The City of Hamilton will use $6 million of its $79.6 million of the federal Gas Tax Fund allocation and $3.4 million of the provincial Gas Tax and Ontario Transit Vehicle Program (OTVP) funds to purchase a new fleet of 22 conventional low-emission diesel buses. The new low-emission diesel buses will go into service immediately.
“Transit projects are a clear priority for Canada’s New Government,” said Mr. Sweet. “This important investment will help meet transit infrastructure needs in the City of Hamilton, while delivering on the commitment of Canada’s New Government to cleaner air and an improved quality of life in our cities.”
“The McGuinty government has gotten transit back on track by making the largest investment in public transit in a decade,” said MPP Judy Marsales. “Since 2003, we invested $25.8 million in gas tax funds for City of Hamilton transit initiatives. Ontario gas tax funding means that more people who live and work in Hamilton are spending less time commuting.”
“Hamilton is very grateful to our provincial and federal partners,” said Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “Not only will this investment make public transit more attractive to new riders, with the introduction of these lower emission buses, this tripartite investment will continue to move Hamilton forward as a municipal leader in environmental stewardship.”
Through these kind of partnerships, all levels of government can work together to make our cities and communities better places to live.

2.2 Cleaner Air For Saint John: Over $4.8 Million To Improve Public Transit
January 15th, 2007
Infrastructure Canada

Rob Moore, M.P. for Fundy Royal, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Roly MacIntyre, Minister of Supply and Services and Minister Responsible for the Regional Development Corporation, announced today that Saint John has received over $4.8 million to improve its public transit.
This federal funding is provided under the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Public Transit Fund. The agreement includes a five-year capital investment plan in which the City of Saint John will purchase 19 new buses and three new para transit buses. All of these new buses will be low-emission and wheel-chair accessible.
The City of Saint John expects ridership to increase by 500,000 by connecting the communities of Rothesay, Grand Bay-Westfield, Quispamsis and Hampton to its transit system. Greenhouse gas emissions are projected to drop by 1,500 metric tonnes and downtown traffic will decrease by 800 vehicles a day over the next five years. A new maintenance facility will be required to support expanded transit services.
“I am pleased to see federal public transit funds being used to help communities like Saint John to provide better services that encourage people to leave their cars at home,” said Mr. Moore. “Through public transit investments, Canada’s New Government is contributing to lowering business costs and making our communities more liveable and competitive.”
“The provincial government is a strong supporter of projects that benefit our environment,” Minister MacIntyre said. “More people in Saint John take the bus than in any other city of our province. Expanding the service to neighbouring communities will be of benefit to employers and will result in cleaner air for everyone who lives and works in Saint John.”
“Today's announcement is not only a win for Saint John; it is a win for the surrounding communities and a win for the environment,” said Mayor McFarlane. “I am very pleased to see the funding being invested into transportation that is accessible for all and environmentally responsible.”
A total of $9.4 million will be invested by the federal government in three New Brunswick communities through the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Public Transit Funds. These investments will result in significant environmental benefits, such as cleaner air and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
The New Brunswick Department of Transportation assisted the preparation of the agreements, the preparation of the capital investment plans, and will assist in the development of transit strategies. The funds will be administered by the Regional Development Corporation.
Lowering transportation emissions contributes significantly to reductions in both greenhouse gases and smog. According to the Department of Transportation, about one-quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions in New Brunswick are caused by transportation. Of this amount, over 70 per cent arises from road transportation.

2.3 New Buses for Whitehorse Thanks to Federal Funding of $1.24 Million
December 18, 2006
Infrastructure Canada

The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Glenn Hart, Minister of Community Services, and her Worship Bev Buckway, Mayor of Whitehorse, are proud to announce that Whitehorse is receiving four new wheelchair-accessible buses thanks, in large part, to a contribution of $1.24 million from the Government of Canada.
This money from the Public Transit Fund and the Public Transit Capital Trust paid for three new buses and the City contributed from its own capital reserves for a fourth bus. These new buses are low-floor, wheelchair-accessible, and also have features to monitor the bus operator's driving.
“By investing in public transit, Canada’s New Government is delivering on our Budget 2006 commitment to provide Canadians with a healthy environment and a high quality of life,” said Minster Cannon. “Public transit is a major force in helping to keep Canada’s cities liveable. In addition to environmental benefits, public transit investments also help support objectives such as social inclusion by contributing to the mobility of all residents.”
“We are proud to be assisting in the acquisition of modern, wheelchair accessible transit buses. The Government of Yukon is working hard with our federal and municipal partners to facilitate modernization of community infrastructure,” said Glenn Hart, Yukon Minister of Community Services. “We are especially supportive of this investment as it is both environmentally astute and supports making public transport available to all residents.”
Mayor Buckway said “The City of Whitehorse is very appreciative of the Public Transit Fund as it has allowed the acquisition of four new buses that will replace older units, and reduce operational costs while broadening the service availability to those who have not have been able to use the current buses.”

Canada’s New Government recognizes that improving public transit use can help reduce congestion in cities, lower emissions and make communities more liveable. That is why this Government has provided $1.3 billion in dedicated funding for public transit across Canada. Nationally, $900 million was provided through the Public Transit Capital Trust and $400 million was committed through the Public Transit Fund. The Yukon received $1.24 million from the Public Transit Capital Trust and the Public Transit Fund, targeted for existing transit systems.
As well, regular users of transit systems can benefit from a tax credit on the cost of their passes under another initiative of Canada’s New Government.

2.4 Cleaner Air for Fredericton: $1.9 Million to Improve Public Transit
December 1st, 2006
Infrastructure Canada

Mike Allen, M.P. for Tobique-Mactaquac, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Denis Landry, Minister of Transportation, announced today that Fredericton is receiving $1.9 million in federal funding to improve its public transit.
This federal funding is provided under the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement on Public Transit. The agreement includes a five-year capital investment plan in which the City of Fredericton will purchase 14 new buses and one para transit bus. These new buses will all be low-emission and wheel-chair accessible.
Mike Allen, M.P. for Tobique-Mactaquac, Fredericton City Councillor and Chair of the Transportation Committee, Marilyn Kerton, and the Honourable Denis Landry, Minister of Transportation at today's announcement.
These new buses will reduce the average age of the city’s bus fleet from nearly 16 years to 10 years. Ridership is projected to increase by 50,000 and greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 250 metric tonnes by 2010. The city also plans to expand its maintenance facility to accommodate the larger fleet.
“This contribution shows that Canada's New Government is helping to get things done for Fredericton,” said MP Allen. “Through public transit investments the Canada’s New Government is delivering on our Budget 2006 commitment to provide Canadians with a healthy environment, economic opportunities, a high quality of life and safety and security. ”
“New Brunswick is pleased to support this innovative vision for public transit. The provincial government is committed to environmental sustainability,” said Minister Landry. “All levels of government must work to encourage public awareness of the importance of sustainable transportation. Fleet renewal is key to retaining ridership and encouraging more New Brunswickers to take the bus.”
“This investment in our public transit system will allow us to renew our fleet with modern, accessible and more fuel-efficient buses,” said Mayor Woodside. “It also supports our “Active Transportation” initiative to provide alternate forms of transportation for our residents. ”
A total of $9.4 million will be invested in three New Brunswick communities through the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Public Transit Funds. These investments will result in significant environmental benefits, such as cleaner air and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
The New Brunswick Department of Transportation assisted in the preparation of the agreements, the preparation of the capital investment plans, and will assist in the development of transit strategies. The funds will be administered by the Regional Development Corporation.
Lowering transportation emissions contributes significantly to reductions in both greenhouse gases and smog. According to the Department of Transportation, about one-quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions in New Brunswick are caused by transportation. Of this amount, over 70 per cent arises from road transportation.

2.5 Canada’s New Government Invests $37.5 Million Into Transit In Nova Scotia
November 24th, 2006

Eleven public transit systems in Nova Scotia will soon be improved thanks to the Government of Canada’s investment of $37.5 million.
The announcement was made by the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency on behalf of Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Jamie Muir, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations.
These investments towards public transit infrastructure will help reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality, as well as help to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
Transit services that will benefit from the federal funding in public transit include Metro Transit in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), Cape Breton Transit (Cape Breton Regional Municipality – CBRM), Kings Transit (including Kings County and surrounding area) and eight other community transit organizations. Eligible capital investments may include the purchase of buses and accessible transit vehicles, the construction of new terminals and maintenance facilities, and the acquisition of improved computerized systems for transit services.
“Reliable and efficient public transit is key to ensuring environmentally sound, vibrant and healthy communities,” said Minister MacKay. “Canada’s new Government recognizes that improving public transit use can help reduce congestion, lower automobile emissions and make our communities more.”
“Today’s investments will help improve our public transit systems in both urban and rural Nova Scotian communities,” said Minister Muir. “They support healthy, vibrant, sustainable communities, as well as help protect our environment. They also reduce isolation through better access to employment, education, medical services, and community and social events.”
The funds include over $11.7 million from the Canada-Nova Scotia Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Public Transit Funds, which was announced today, and $25.8 million to Nova Scotia through the federal Public Transit Capital Trust.
Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations will administer the distribution of these funds primarily based on ridership. Public transit providers will likely receive funding before March 31, 2007.
“We are delighted that the Canadian government is investing in public transit systems throughout Nova Scotia,” said Russell Walker, president of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities. “Larger transit services, which include HRM, Kings and CBRM, will be able to provide improved services, and rural communities will be able to enhance accessible services to seniors, persons with disabilities and the disadvantaged.”
Through Budget 2006, the Government of Canada has provided $1.3 billion in dedicated funding for public transit across Canada. Nationally, $900 million was provided through the Public Transit Capital Trust and $400 million was committed through the Public Transit Fund.

3. International

3.1 Ecuadorian City Winning Against Traffic, Pollution Problems
January 24th, 2007
By Alana Herro

Guayaquil, Ecuador, and its mayor, Jaime Nebot, received international recognition on January 22 for the successful introduction of the Metrovia bus rapid transit (BRT) system and other improvements to public space. The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) honored Nebot and his city with the annual Sustainable Transport Award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. “Mayor Nebot belongs to a new generation of bold mayors and governors around the world who are tackling seemingly intractable problems like traffic gridlock and air pollution—and winning,” said Walter Hook, executive director of ITDP and contributor to Worldwatch Institute’s State of the World 2007: Our Urban Future.
To be an award recipient, cities must enhance their livability through reduced transport emissions and accidents as well as improve space for bicyclists and pedestrians or increase the mobility of the poor. According to ITDP, until recently public services for the 2.3 million residents of Guayaquil were at an all-time low. In 2006, Mayor Nebot officially opened the first 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) of the Metrovia system, which not only allowed for the retirement of 500 of the city’s oldest, most polluting buses, but has reduced travel time for riders while offering high quality, safe service. Additionally, Nebot encouraged the revitalization of Guayaquil’s waterfront and Santa Ana district and celebrated the city’s first car-free day in September.
Seven other cities received honorable mention at the ceremony, including Hangzhou, China, for its development of a near-BRT system; Jakarta, Indonesia, for expanding its TransJakarta BRT system from one to three corridors; and Mexico City for introducing ultra-low sulfur diesel and the Metrobus BRT corridor. Last year, Mayor Myung-Bak Lee of Seoul, South Korea, received the Sustainable Transport Award for replacing a highway with a riverfront park and introducing exclusive median bus lanes.

3.2 Urbanization's Green Outgrowth
Friday, January 12th, 2007
Marcela Sanchez, Washington Post

Recycling didn't have a government program or environmental study behind it when I was a kid in Bogotá in the 1970s, it just happened. Every week, a wooden cart would appear in the street and we'd hear the cry -- botellas, frascos, papel! My mom would rush out with whatever bottles, jars and newspapers she had saved and exchange them for a few pesos with those Bogotános who eked out an existence in repurposed trash.
I didn't think much about it then but I realize now that this type of recycling was an adaptation, an innovation if you will, born from urbanization and poverty. Now, some 30 years later, these same circumstances writ large across the globe are demanding unprecedented innovations. Sometime next year the majority of the world's population will live in cities.
Some of the most aggressive responses to the challenges of urbanization are coming out of Latin America, a new report from the Worldwatch Institute suggests. "State of the World 2007: Our Urban Future," reveals Latin America as a "fascinating region that is inspiring imitation worldwide," according to Molly O'Meara Sheehan, the report's project director.
Not long ago, Loja, Ecuador, was a city afflicted by deforestation, pollution and uncontrollable sprawl. In the last decade, under the leadership of mayor Jose Bolivar Castillo, Loja has managed to transform itself into an "ecological and healthy city." Loja makes some serious demands on its citizens with tough land use and environmental protection policies. Among other things, the city requires developers to set aside 20 percent of the land for public space. The resulting parks and green spaces have improved water management and public health.
Loja's recycling program has an amazing 95 percent compliance rate while recycling "all organic waste and over 50 percent of the inorganic waste," according to the report. This is not achieved with polite reminders to recycle printed on cans and bottles or mere five-cent return deposits. The city will ultimately shut off your water if you don't comply.
Northeast of Loja, Bogotá, the urban capital of more than 7 million people, has been waging "the world's most aggressive campaign to recapture public space from private automobile users," according to Walter Hook of the New York-based Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Bogotá, under then-mayor Enrique Penalosa, seized traffic lanes in major thoroughfares in the city for its bus rapid-transit system. The TransMilenio, modeled after a system developed in Curitiba, Brazil, in 1974, now transports 53,000 passengers per direction per hour, comparable to some of the world's largest metro rail systems.
Today Bogotános can cover in 30 minutes the same distance that used to take them an hour or more. Public space has also been transformed into new parks, pedestrian-only streets and miles of dedicated bike lanes that used to be the domain of automobiles.
Some of these innovations may in fact be coming to a city near you. Both Bogotá's and Curitiba's systems have been studied by cities throughout the world. The new TransJakarta system in Indonesia's capital is a direct replica of Bogotá's TransMilenio. And Los Angeles, the city known as much for traffic congestion as for Hollywood, has been developing its own system following the Brazilian example.
In describing all the physical changes -- the green spaces, the recycling programs and the transportation systems -- the report leaves you with the impression that there are civic leaders willing to fight urban blight and take on problems that are virtually ignored by lethargic national governments. They are not unlike the leaders in over 300 U.S. cities who have committed to reduce carbon emissions, even as the federal government blocks global agreements and other national responses to climate change.
These leaders see their cities as a source for solutions. Just as Curitiba's former mayor Jaime Lerner did when, in the 1970s, he pushed for innovations that are still worthy models today. Thus he continues to defy, as he wrote in a foreword to the Worldwatch Institute's report, those who think of cities as "hopeless places where a person cannot breathe, move, or live properly."
Perhaps too these innovations signal a democratization of quality of life, a realization that a happy life is not exclusive to a certain class but can be a reality to those most deprived -- many of whom live now in urban centers. Cities may in fact exacerbate poverty but at the very least they can provide, as Bogotá's Penalosa likes to say, public places where "everybody meets as equals."

November's E-News!

P.T.C. E-News November 2006

1. Local

1.1 – Public transit symposium a success
1.2 - Riding the wave

2. National

2.1 – Tories announce transit security funds
2.2 - Toronto area transit has 'smart' vision for future

3. International

3.1 - Mass transit still hot after $3 gas
3.2 --Why Delhi needs cycle-rickshaws
3.3 --Colombia city makes a U-turn
3.4 – How will the USA cope with unprecedented growth?

1.Local

1.1 Public Transit Symposium
October 27th was quite a day in the Conference room of the New Residence Building on UPEI’s Campus. It was the site of our Symposium on Public Transit and Social Equality. The bulk of the symposium was four excellent presentations that educated as well as stimulated discussion.
Prof. Ed MacDonald gave a great overview of the Island’s history with Public Transit. He showed that public transit is not quite the unknown foreign figure that many islanders believe it to be. Through both historical fact and public accounts, Dr. MacDonald demonstrated the importance of the railway for almost a century across the island.
Prof. Benet Davetian got the room thinking while talking about the correlations between public services and social equality. He brought up great examples and points of benefits and possible downfalls of an Island-wide Public Transit. His lecture served to really inspire some discussion in the room which gave lots to talk about during the breakout session.
After a hearty lunch from the Wanda Wyatt dining hall, Dave McCusker, Manager of Regional Transportation Planning for Halifax Regional Municipality, talked about similar problems both Halifax and PEI are facing. He discussed the troubles, hurtles, and methods in establishing Public Transit in rural areas. His expertise and experience shed a lot of light onto a complicated issue.
The final lecture of the day was about the impact on many seniors when they either lose or give up their licenses. Olive Bryanton enlightened many in the room as to how many islanders are currently faced with this problem but especially stressed how many were headed in that direction. She clearly showed both social and economic impacts upon not only the seniors lives, but the communities around them.
The end of the long day was followed by a casual panel discussion with many of our speakers and attendees to talk about how to really get moving on an Island-wide public transit system. Over the course of the day as many as 40 people graced the symposium while a consistent 20 stayed throughout the day. With representatives from across the island and some from Nova Scotia, the symposium was able to help everyone share their ideas, progress, and projects concerning Public Transit. The casual nature of the symposium allowed everyone to talk, listen and learn throughout the day and hopefully got people thinking about these important issues.

1.2 Riding the Wave
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Dave Stewart, The Guardian

After more than doubling their numbers in the first year, Charlottetown Transit is setting its sights on bus shelters and expanding its reach through partnerships with businesses. The transit service began its run on Sept. 30, 2005, transporting 4,788 passengers through the month of October 2005.One year later, the service celebrated its first anniversary with 10,652 fares through the month of October.
Transit buses continue to flourish on Route 1 (Confederation Centre-University Avenue-Charlottetown Mall) which accounts for 37 per cent of the overall business while the system is still looking to make an impact in communities like Sherwood and Parkdale.
Bobby Dunn, general manager of Charlottetown Transit, says the next big step is to start erecting shelters to protect passengers from the elements while they wait. The first shelter should be in place in early December in front of the Confederation Centre. It will measure 4x16 with benches. A request to the city has already been made for another 13 shelters. Overall, Charlottetown Transit is asking city council to support the purchase of 40 shelters over the next few years. If they’re successful with all of them, it will cost $320,000.
Dunn said they’d also like to see the city add another bus. “We’re challenged now. Winsloe-West Royalty is asking for more service. We are providing service there (but) there’s some out there who think we should be there more often.’’ There are currently five buses on the road, each of them successfully getting people to work downtown as early as 7:30 a.m. and getting them back home as late as the 5:10 p.m. run.
Dunn said they are working towards making it easier for more people to leave their vehicles at home. Another proposal for the city to consider is building up to three park and ride sites. Those are small parking lots built specifically for people to leave their vehicles at and take the transit into town, infrastructure common in other cities. The key locations would be East and West Royalty and Stratford.
Dunn said talks are ongoing with major businesses like Sears where Charlottetown Transit would buy up to 40 parking spaces so people could leave their vehicles there for the day. Dunn said there are also plans to hold talks on Nov. 20 with Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC), the city’s realtor, on finding spots for people to park and take the bus to work or school.
Partnering with schools is another plan. Right now, the transit carries 24 junior high students to band practice at Queen Charlotte school under the new Go for Green School program.
“It’s less stress on the parents after they’ve come home from work, had their supper and (in the past) been forced to rush out the door to get their kids to that one activity.’’ As an added incentive, Charlottetown Transit and Staples have combined to offer $20 worth of school supplies to one of those lucky students. Transit gives 50 cents from each fare back to the school. The school, in turn, gives a portion of that money to the food bank.


2. National

2.1 Tories announce Transit Security Funds
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 | 8:37 AM ET
CBC News

The Conservative government announced $37 million in funding Tuesday to beef up security on public transit systems in Canada's biggest cities. Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon announced that Toronto and Montreal will get the lion's share of the money, while the rest of the funding will go to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and the Ottawa region.
The money is part of the $80 million that Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged in June for transit security.
"I think what we're seeing in this announcement is that it's a kind of wake-up call for commuters that we are not immune [from terrorism], that we live in a global environment now," said Drew Snider, spokesman for Vancouver's Translink.
Within the last three years, bombings on transit systems in Madrid, London and Mumbai killed more than 420 people and injured at least 2,500 more. The funding is meant to improve surveillance and communication networks on transit systems, as well as hiring additional staff.
Wesley Wark, of the Canadian Association for Security and Intelligence Studies, said the measures are long overdue.
"We could easily be a target for terrorist attacks," Wark said. "We've been named by al-Qaeda as a target nation, so while we might like to think we're not a likely target, you just can't gamble with that."
Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier was quick to point out that the threat of terrorist activity isn't the only reason transit security should be improved.
"The requests that we have are not just for terrorism, they're for day-to-day issues that deal with security in public spaces and public places," he said.
The Société de transport de Montréal has already installed 530 closed-circuit cameras and has plans to install an additional 700. Still, Andre Bouchard of Garda, a security consulting firm, said Montreal, like most cities in the country, has a lower level of transit security compared with many cities in the world, partly because that's what Canadians are comfortable with.
"We're way behind," Bouchard said. "But do you want police officers with machine-guns walking through your metro like they do in London? Do you want police walking through the metro system like they do in Italy?


2.2 Toronto area transit has 'smart' vision for future
Friday, October 13, 2006 | 2:17 PM ET
CBC News

Greater Toronto Area commuters are one step closer to transferring easily between the web of bus, train and subway systems across the region. Ontario Minister of Transportation Donna Cansfield announced a 10-year, $250-million contract Thursday with management consultant company Accenture to design and implement a "smart card" system to connect the public transit systems in the GTA.
Working much like a debit card, the fare cards could be scanned as passengers enter the various systems, deducting the fare. The new Greater Toronto Transportation Authority, mandated to make it easy for commuters to transfer seamlessly between the GTA's transit systems, will oversee the smart card program.
"Transit users should be able to get on any system anywhere in the GTA using the same card and travel to wherever they're going without having to worry about crossing municipal boundaries and changing systems," said the newly-appointed chair of the GTTA, Rob MacIsaac.
The project will roll out by mid-2007 with limited participation. Those involved will be four Mississauga bus routes, the Meadowvale and Cooksville GO Transit stations and Union Station in Toronto. The province hopes to have the system running across the GTA by 2010.
However, the Toronto Transit Commission has expressed uncertainty as to whether it will join the smart card system, citing financial concerns.

3. International
3.1 Mass transit still hot after $3 gas
10/2/2006 2:07 AM ET
By Barbara Hagenbaugh, USA TODAY

Although gas prices are plunging, many Americans appear to be continuing to let someone else do the driving. Public transportation officials across the USA say they have seen very little drop-off in passengers on buses and trains in recent weeks despite the dramatic decline in gasoline prices. Surging gasoline costs led to sharp increases in public transportation ridership this summer.
"The $3 gas prompted them to look at" public transportation, says Morgan Lyons, spokesman for Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which has seen double-digit increases in ridership this year. Although, anecdotally, trains and buses seem to be a little less crowded than they were this summer, most people "seem to be staying with it," Lyons says.
Desiree Ingle says she will continue to take public transportation to work, even with gas prices dropping."It's pretty easy, convenient and not too stressful," says Ingle, a research and planning analyst for the county parks and recreation department. "As long as they keep improving the public transportation, I think more people will be using it."
Gas prices have dropped 17% in the last month in large part because of a sharp decline in oil costs. Nationwide, public transportation ridership rose 3.2% in the first six months of 2006 vs. January-June 2005, according to the American Public Transportation Association. That was the biggest increase for the first half of a year since 2000 and more than double the gain seen in the same period in 2005.
APTA President William Millar attributes at least part of the increase in ridership to elevated gas prices. Other factors include increased congestion as well as new and improved train and bus service in a number of U.S. cities.
"People who hadn't used transit before and who hadn't used it in a long time ... were pleasantly surprised" when they tried it out recently, Millar says. "They are finding that, 'Hey, this isn't really so bad.' "

3.2 Colombia city makes a U-turn
October 28, 2006
Chris Kraul, Times Staff Writer

A decade ago, the Bosa slum was the black hole of Bogotá. Its darkest corner was Laurel Park, a grassless, trash-strewn lot with open sewage and gun-toting gangs bent on muggings and murder.
Today, Bosa has paved streets, new schools, health clinics and cafeterias, and links to a new mass transit system. Laurel Park has been rechristened Park of the Arts and is alive with children at play and free theater, fashion shows and concerts.
Like much of this re-energized capital of more than 7 million inhabitants, the war zone that was Bosa has been transformed. "The change has surprised everyone, not just visibly but socially," said Nubia Zuaza, a community activist who has lived in the area for 20 years. "From a focal point of delinquency, the park now embodies a sense of community that wasn't there before."
The same can be said for much of Bogotá, which in the 1990s earned a well-deserved reputation as a world capital of mayhem. Car bombings, assassinations, killings and kidnappings sent thousands of Bogotá's residents fleeing to the United States or had them hunkering down in their homes. Bogotá was, in many urban experts' view, a failed city choked with traffic and pollution and victimized by a seemingly uncontrollable crime wave.
"When I took office, people told me: 'Nobody can fix this. Bogotá is totally hopeless,' " said Enrique Peñalosa, the capital's mayor from 1997 to 2000. Now, visionary leadership by Peñalosa and two other Bogotá mayors is credited with helping turn the city around. Improved public finances, reduced crime and congestion, a slew of public works, and reduced and more orderly traffic have made Colombia's capital livable again.
Urban experts around the world are taking notice. At the architecture exhibition at last month's Venice Biennale, the organizers cited the city as an exemplar in mass transit. Highlighted were the continent's largest network of bike paths and Bogotá's 300-mile Transmilenio bus system, which after six years of existence boasts a daily ridership of 1.4 million.
The United Nations, the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have cited the 70% drop in Bogotá's homicide rate, an even steeper decline in kidnappings, and the addition of a score of public libraries, most of them in poor areas. But the proof of the turnaround is in the attitudes of the residents. Polls show that citizens who once overwhelmingly saw life here as a cross to bear are hopeful about the future and happier to be here.
Urban planning expert Juan Carlos del Castillo said the seeds of change were planted during the administration of Mayor Jaime Castro in the early 1990s. Castro initiated Bogotá's first land-use plan and persuaded the federal legislature to grant him stronger powers, having found himself overshadowed by a city council dominated by corrupt real estate and transportation interests.
Castro's successor, Antanas Mockus, son of Lithuanian immigrants and a former university rector, tried to restore a sense of citizenship, employing a whimsical approach that included using mimes to shame motorists into heeding stoplights and crosswalks. But he also played fiscal hardball to improve tax collection and clean up the city's finances.
A part-time professor and business consultant with the U.S. firm Arthur D. Little before taking office, Peñalosa used the surplus to launch a public works program designed to dramatically reduce traffic, which he describes as Bogotá's bane. "Cars are lethal weapons that dehumanize society," he said.
"I could have used the surplus to build seven elevated highways for more cars, but that would have left no money for public spaces or libraries," Peñalosa said. "Those highways would have been undemocratic since 70% of Bogotános don't have cars."
Using a model set by the Brazilian city of Curitiba, he planned and began construction of the Transmilenio bus system and restricted each private automobile's circulation to five days a week.

3.3 Why Delhi needs cycle-rickshaws
October 22, 2006
Aruna P. Sharma

(*Note One ‘Crore’ is equal to 10 million)

They are clean, efficient, safe and flexible — and banished from Capital roads. The humble cycle-rickshaw may have gained popularity as an eco-friendly pedicab in European and American cities, but its survival in Delhi is in doubt.
Cycle-rickshaws are ideal for short-distance trips. Do not cause safety risk in residential areas and near schools and hospitals. (They) Use renewable energy. Pedal-driven rickshaws provide three times the walking speed, meet urban mobility requirement in colonies dominated by middle-income and lower-middle-income groups and provide a low-cost alternative for transporting household goods and furniture. Reduce air pollution by saving fuel on 10 crore motorised trips all over the country and 1 crore trips in Delhi alone.
Generate employment for one crore poor people across the country. A court ban and motor-vehicle-driven transport and road development policies of the government are driving rickshaws towards an uncertain future.
The ban may make cycle-rickshaws seem like a nuisance but they also have their own advantages. According to the Initiative for Transportation and Development Programmes (ITDP) — an NGO that has introduced the lightweight, modern cycle-rickshaw, now plying around the Taj Mahal in Agra, in Delhi, Jaipur and other cities — cycle-rickshaws are the future solution to Delhi's air pollution.
“In Delhi alone cycle-rickshaws make more than one crore short-distance trips in a day, saving huge government investments in parking and thousands of crores of rupees that would otherwise have been spent on motorised transport for the same number of trips,” says Nalin Sinha, programme director of ITDP. Besides, they provide honest means of living to three per cent of India's population without any financial investment or support from the government.
The socio-economic profiling of rickshaw pullers done by the NGO shows that most of the rickshaw pullers are unskilled, uneducated or landless farmers, of whom 68 per cent belong to the Other Backward Classes and 20 per cent to the SC/ST category. So the rickshaw-pillers do not have a choice.
Then there are misconceptions about rickshaw pulling. “It is a myth that pulling cycle-rickshaws is inhumane. The rickshaw pullers are much better off than construction labourers who have to carry heavy loads on their heads, coolies at railway stations or labourers who pull loads of 500 to 1,500 kg in pushcarts.

Unfriendly Policies
-Rickshaws are not recognised by planners and transport policy makers.

-Illegal ones, costing Rs 5,000 each are seized by authorities, crushed and disposed of as scrap.

-Rickshaw pullers have no insurance cover. They rarely have I-cards or ration cards.

-No funds available for research and design development.

-Master Plan 2021 makes a very weak statement by merely stating that wherever possible

Sunita Narain, also makes a strong pitch in favour of cycle-rickshaws and other modes of non-motorised transport. “It is a misconception that cycle-rickshaws cause congestion. It is the cars that are causing congestion. It is sad that in a socialist country like India, the poor rickshaw pullers are getting targeted for no fault of theirs.”
A study carried out by CSE in Ambedkar Nagar shows that over 60 per cent commuters travel by public transport buses that use up 8 per cent road space, while cars move only 20 per cent people and take over 75 per cent road space. Bicycles move 20 per cent passengers and use 18 per cent road space.
It is the cars that have taken over road space and need to be taken off the road by introducing a dense network of Metro trains, High Capacity Bus System, and Light Rail System with auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws providing the feeder services.
“The city’s air was first stabilised by introducing 10,000 CNG-fuelled DTC buses and now we have to adopt the integrated transport policy, so that the city can breathe easy” says Narain.
Dr Geetam Tiwari of IIT, Delhi, says that redesigning the roads is all that is required to allow the cycle-rickshaws to ply on the arterial roads. “Then they will not come in the way of fast-moving vehicles,” says Dr Tiwari. The cycle-rickshaws are already providing feeder services at 50 metro stations, including the Delhi University station, and they need to be formally integrated with our public transport system, she adds.
As for Old Delhi, it is the motorised vehicles that need to be banned so that the rickshaws can provide noiseless, pollution-free, door-to-door service in the narrow streets and bylanes, Tiwari says. Banning the cycle-rickshaws is only going to compound the environmental and socio-economic problems in the city, planners and experts say. So let the wheels be set in motion to let the rickshaw claim its pride of place on roads.

3.4 – How will the USA cope with unprecedented growth?
10/27/2006 1:59 AM ET
By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY

The fact the USA is growing faster than any other industrialized country in the world comes as no surprise to Tim Gibbs. The USA added 100 million people in the past 39 years and last week topped 300 million. We'll add the next 100 million even faster. Sometime around 2040, according to government estimates, the population clock will tick past 400 million.
Can the USA, which trails only China and India in population, absorb another 100 million people in such a short time? Where will everybody live? Space itself isn't the issue. More than half of Americans live within 50 miles of the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf and Great Lakes coasts on just a fifth of the country's land area, according to the Center for Environment and Population, a non-profit research and policy group based in New Canaan, Conn.
But people can't live on land alone, especially if they want water in the desert, plentiful fuel to power long commutes, energy to cool and heat bigger houses and clean air and water. How and where they live could determine how well the nation — and the environment — will handle the added population.
"People who work on smart growth development issues say there's no way we can continue over the next 40-odd years without severe consequences to the environment," says Victoria Markham, director of the center. "That presents some really good opportunities for changing the ways we adapt to this growth. ... If population is going to grow, which it will, we have to find different ways to reside on that land."
"We're going in the wrong direction right now," says Don Chen, executive director of Smart Growth America, a coalition of groups working to slow sprawl. "The rate of land consumption is twice the rate of population growth."
Gas costs more and traffic congestion is worsening, making long commutes hard on the wallet and the psyche. More immigrants are arriving, increasing mass transit ridership and carpooling in a country where driving alone still dominates.
Indications are growing that the automobile-dependent suburban lifestyle of the 1950s — tract homes built on streets and cul-de-sacs increasingly distant from central cities — is losing traction. Urban town centers that combine condos, shops and offices in pedestrian-friendly settings are sprouting in suburbia. Residential construction in downtown districts is on the rise because empty-nesters and young professionals want to be where the action is. Areas that have scant histories of mass transit, such as Phoenix and Dallas, are investing billions in light-rail lines.
Now, the cost benefits of buying a house 45 miles from work often are offset by prices at the pump."It takes more money to heat and cool a big house," says Flint, public affairs manager at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a think tank in Cambridge, Mass. "Once you factor in the true cost of that housing by including transportation and energy costs, yes, Americans will get very resourceful very fast and change how they live."

Among the ways the nation can absorb the next 100 million:
•Rail lines and transit villages. Cities that had let public transit wither are revitalizing it and encouraging development around transit stops. Metro areas better known for sprawl are hopping aboard the rail mania, including Dallas, Albuquerque, Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Charlotte.
Twenty-seven metropolitan areas have transit systems, and 15 are planning new ones, according to Reconnecting America, a non-profit group that encourages development near or along transit lines.
"As these cities grew, they realized that relying on the automobile was not enough," says William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association, a trade group that represents public transit providers. "New systems are virtually without exception meeting and exceeding ridership targets, and you're seeing land values (along transit lines) go up."
Once all the transit systems on the books are built by 2030, there will be 4,000 to 4,500 transit stations nationwide. There were 735 planned and proposed stations as of December 2005.

Public Transit and Social Equality Symposium

Symposium on Social Equality and Public Transit

Friday, Oct 27th 9AM - 4PM, UPEI Campus
Hosted by the Institute of Island Studies and Sponsored by the PTC with Funding Assistance provided by the Health Agency of Canada.

Location : New Residence Conference Room (south side of UPEI Campus)
9AM - 4PM (reception to follow)

9 AM Professor MacDonald, UPEI department of History
Theme - The social Impacts of the Passenger Railway Service on 19th and 20th century PEI society.

10 AM Professor Davetian, UPEI Department of Sociology
Theme - The connections and correlations between Public services and Social Equality within the community

11 AM Breakout session

12PM - 1 PM Lunch Break

1PM Dave McCusker, Halifax Transit
Theme - The resources required and challenges to extending public transit to the rural areas surrounding Halifax

2PM Olive Bryanton, Upei Fall Centre and MA candidate
Theme - An Overview of the Impact on senior Citizens lives when they are no longer able to drive or have their driving privileges withdrawn.

2:45 Pm - 4PM Panel Discussion
Theme - Rural Transportation : How to make it happen.
The panelists will include a representative from Transport 2000, the PEI Public Transit Coalition, and more!

Please contact Daniel McRae at 566-4696 or ptc@ecopei.ca to register!

A Review of Charlottetown’s Public Transit System: One Year Later

Happy Birthday Charlottetown Public Transit!


It has already been a year for Charlottetown Transit and many people still acknowledge the bus passing by with a kind wave, while some just sneak a glance at those colourful trolleys. While celebrating this first year anniversary of Charlottetown Transit, it seems like an excellent time to reflect, review, and communicate how this last year has gone. To properly voice all concerns and compliments toward this system, it was best to consult with everyone: people who ride the bus, people who do not, bus drivers, and even a few who have had or still have their hand in Transit management. Charlottetown Transit is already a common sight across town after only one year and as long as it keeps working for the people, it could eventually become a common sight across the whole Island. To be a truly successful public service, a Public Transit system needs to be a synergy between those who need to ride it and those who operate it. To enable and encourage this synergy, expectations from both sides must be heard, acknowledged, and acted upon.

The Charlottetown Transit system draws in many people after simply giving it a try. Not only are the buses very comfortable, clean, and approachable but the bus drivers are extremely friendly and very helpful when broached with questions. The Charlottetown transit system seems very fitting to our small town charm. People who are unsure of routes, or other bus information, appear very comfortable with approaching the driver, just as the drivers seem happy to help. On one occasion, one bus was blocked in by another bus while on a quick break. Upon his return, the driver of the blocked bus, instead of making everyone wait, simply got out and moved the other bus. He managed to not only keep his bus on schedule but also deeply impressed a young lady who feared that she would be late for work. Many Transit patrons remarked on the quality and kindness of the bus drivers. The casualness that the drivers show toward the riders makes many feel welcome and seems to encourage more to take the bus. So far, this kind of informal service only seems to improve the bus systems’ approachability and guest service levels and can hopefully be integrated with a busier ridership in the future.

According to Gary Bradshaw, who used to be the V.P. of the St. John’s Public Transit, and Mike Skene, President of Boulevard Transportation Group, it can generally take between five and ten years for a Transit system to mature and for a Transit using culture within the area to develop. This means that permanent development of transit infrastructures can be dangerous if done prematurely; as routes are likely to change due to ridership and the city’s growth. There are, however, certain locations in Charlottetown, such as the University and the three shopping areas which intersect multiple routes, that will remain fixed hubs for the transit system. Most of these particular locations still have no clear posting of where the bus actually stops nor a mounted schedule or weather shelter for those waiting. Many of these locations are also lacking benches which are especially needed for any seniors or disabled persons wanting to use the bus. Although these problems are easily rectified, they are crucial to fix so that our Public Transit system can remain a Public service available to all.

So far selected routes for buses have great coverage for most of Charlottetown without sacrificing efficiency. While traveling throughout town, it was obvious that, given a slight learning curve and some compromises regarding schedules, using the buses did not delay or inconvenience most. In fact, most routes, as well as the express bus, work very well with daily schedules and as ridership grows, will presumably become even more convenient. Oddly enough though, the Charlottetown Airport is not serviced by our Transit system. As a public service, Charlottetown Transit should have buses running out to the airport, especially if our airport may start taking in international flights as well. Many would also like to see the Transit system extend further outside of Charlottetown into Stratford, Cornwall, and especially into rural P.E.I.. Due to the Island’s unique size and density as a province, it is even more crucial to provide adequate transportation infrastructure for the many rural to urban commuters. Many of these islanders are unable to use the bus in Charlottetown because of its limited range. Although these kinds of extensions will take some time, planning, and funding to put into place, they will be detrimental to make P.E.I. Public transit efficient and available to all.

After an extensive trial of our bus system, and through the many people encountered, it is obvious how popular our transit system is and is becoming. Islanders, on and off the buses, have much praise for our transit system, and the bus drivers themselves relate a growing ridership every month. In fact, Trius tours reports of an average increase of 400 riders each month over the last 4 months. Charlottetown Public Transit is not only a much needed and appreciated public service, but also a means to encourage economic growth across town. It strengthens and unites our community while encouraging more sustainable transportation. Although they may have denied it for years, and ignored all the long glances they’ve given each other, Public Transit and the Island could not compliment each other more. It is clear that since Charlottetown and its Public Transit system have had a full year together, they are finally realizing just how well they get along.

The Charlottetown Public Transit system can be reached at www.city.charlottetown.pe.ca for more information regarding the current Transit system solely in Charlottetown. If looking for information concerning future extensions, ideas for improvement, or general information about this public service, then please contact the Public Transit Coalition at 566-4696 or http://www.peiptc.blogspot.com. The P.T.C. in partnership with the Institute of Island Studies will also be hosting a Symposium on Friday, October 27th from 9am-4pm entitled: Social Equality and Public Transit. The event will be held at the New Residence Conference Room on the UPEI campus and will have several guest lecturers as well as a panel discussion for those interested.

PEI Public Transit Coalition E-NEWS 15

PTC E-News Tuesday August 29, 2006

1. Local

1.1 ---Let’s save our air
1.2 ---Taxi numbers concern councillor
1.3 ---Environmental groups grade Atlantic provinces' response to climate change

2. National

2.1 ---CANADA'S FIRST HYBRID BUS ARRIVES IN KELOWNA
2.2 ---Calgary's CTrain Turns 25 Years Old!
2.3 ---Transit contract details add fuel to debate

3. International

3.1 ---Calls raised for free transit all of the time. Ridership surges on Spare the Air days
3.2 ---See you at the bus stop
3.3 ---Some AC Transit buses to offer Wi-Fi service

1. Local

1.1 ---Let’s save our air

By Sarah-Jane Bell
Belle River

Editor:
Re: ‘The smog is sitting in the air over P.E.I.’ (The Guardian, Aug. 9, 2006).

No, P.E.I.’s air is not as pristine as we would like to think, and, no, it is not entirely our fault, but we can’t lay all the blame abroad. According to Natural Resources Canada, transportation accounts for 50 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). That is a huge amount, adding carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and other particulates into our ‘pristine’ air.

It is true that most of us have to drive to work, school, sporting events, etc. The price of gas is another truth that we have no control over. We can, however, control the amount of travel and the method.

Using 10 fewer litres of gas a month can save one-quarter (0.25) of a tonne in GHG emissions in a year and $12 in fuel costs. That can add up to an annual savings of three tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and $144 of fuel. Taking one less trip to the store, combining trips, carpooling, and using active transportation around the city, including transit, can save a lot and provide you the benefit of fitness. One city bus can take 40 vehicles off the road and keep about 50 tonnes of GHG emissions out of the atmosphere each year. Walk to a bus stop and ride to work, school, or the mall.

Drive the speed limit and avoid quick stops and starts. Not only will this save gas, it will prolong the life of your car. Every 10 kilometres you go over the speed limit, you increase fuel consumption by 10 per cent.

The easiest way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation is to not idle your vehicle unnecessarily. If you stop for more than 10 seconds except in traffic, it is better to turn it off and restart than idle.

Another example is aging cars.
We can’t all have new cars, but replacing an old vehicle with a more fuel-efficient model can save up to 2.5 tonnes of GHG.

Last but not least, properly inflated tires can reduce GHG emissions by five per cent.

These are just hints for saving energy on the road. There are many more things you can do at home such as using compact fluorescent light bulbs, washing in cold water, and turning electronics off that are not in use.

So, yes, there is something you can do about our air and save money at the same time. It is a win-win situation. Take control, take ownership of your emissions and lead by example so others close to you will follow.

1.2 ---Taxi numbers concern councillor

Thursday, July 13, 2006 | 7:53 AM AT

The city councillor who oversees taxis in Charlottetown didn't know the number of cabs operating in the city has dropped 25 per cent in two years, and he wants to know whether the new transit system is part of the cause.

Coun. Cecil Villard told CBC News Wednesday he hasn't looked at the effect of the transit system launched in October has had on taxis.
"I'm not sure anybody has taken the time to measure that," said Villard, who is responsible for taxi licences in his role as chair of the police committee.

"But the fact that there has been this 25 per cent reduction, I think, is certainly cause for discussion with the taxi industry to find out what's going on."

Drivers are saying the rising cost of fuel and insurance are the big factors driving them off the road, but also mention the buses in citing a lower demand for their services.

Since 2004, the number of taxi drivers in the city has dropped from 134 to 102.

Charlottetown transit is running four buses on five routes, with about 10,000 riders a month. The buses start early in the morning, and all but one are done by about 7 p.m. The University Avenue bus runs until just before 10 p.m.

Villard said the buses are part of a move to be more environmentally friendly, but they were also meant to help ease parking concerns downtown, a role taxis play as well.

Villard will be bringing the issue to city council. He's concerned about the future of the taxi industry, and he wants to make sure city residents have the transportation they need.

1.3 ---Environmental groups grade Atlantic provinces' response to climate change

By The Canadian Press

Nova Scotia is making improvements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the province needs to do more if it wants to meet the targets it set five years ago, environmental activists warned Monday.

The province earned a grade of C for its response to climate change in an annual report card released by the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax.

Similar report cards, produced by other environmental groups, were issued for the other provinces in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and the New England states. The reports marked five years since the premiers and governors from those regions committed to cut carbon pollution to 1990 levels by 2010.

Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador scored between B-minus and C-minus, though their grades were lower than in 2005.

Elsewhere, Quebec fared the best of the six states and five provinces with a grade of B-plus. New Hampshire scored the worst, rating a D-plus.

While Nova Scotia scored a lowly C, it was the only Atlantic province to show overall improvement.

``We've seen some nice things happening here, but no consistent policies,'' said Brendan Haley, energy co-ordinator for the Ecology Action Centre.

Haley applauded improved transit services and provincial programs, including one that offers a 10 per cent rebate for solar water-heating systems. But he's afraid those programs will suffer following Ottawa's decision to pull out of the Kyoto treaty on climate change and cut the Energuide program for household energy conservation.

Still, Nova Scotia could still meet the 2010 target if it makes more investments in public transit and offers rebates for drivers of fuel-efficient vehicles, he said.

Nova Scotia's energy minister said the province plans to introduce a home retrofit program, similar to the federal Energuide program, in the coming weeks.

``We're going to pick up until the feds can come through with their programs and assist us,'' Bill Dooks said from Whitehorse, where he's attending a meeting of energy ministers.

``We're moving in the right direction and we're moving conservatively, but we're moving appropriately.''

Dooks pointed to the creation of Conserve Nova Scotia, a Crown corporation that will focus on energy conservation.

Meanwhile, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick said the province's emissions in 2004 were nearly 47 per cent higher than those in 1990.

The environmental group also said the province, which had the lowest grade in the Atlantic region, is not doing enough to reduce emissions from the transportation sector or establish a plan for reducing emissions.

``That plan should include regulations to govern emissions from the power plants and cars.'' spokesman David Coon said in an interview.

The province was applauded for establishing Efficiency NB, which offers homeowners energy audits and incentives to promote energy efficiency.

``We are continuing our work with the New England governors and Eastern Canadian premiers to have a (greenhouse gas) reduction strategy for the whole region and New Brunswick wants to participate in that,'' Premier Bernard Lord said while campaigning ahead of the Sept. 18 provincial election.

``I have made the environment one of our top five priorities over the next five years ... and I want to work with the Conservation Council and other New Brunswickers to make sure we pass on a cleaner province to our children.''

Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland received B-minus grades -- the highest in Atlantic Canada.

Newfoundland was praised for its emission reduction initiatives, including a $6.9-million low-income energy efficiency program.

In P.E.I., a new public transit system in Charlottetown was highlighted as a success, as was the Island's use of wind power.

2.1---National

2.1 --CANADA'S FIRST HYBRID BUS ARRIVES IN KELOWNA
4 May 2005, Reference: BCT 5032
KELOWNA - Today, Canada's first new hybrid electric bus was unveiled in Kelowna. This new technology for heavy duty vehicles will set the standards for fuel efficient, environmentally-friendly bus fleets in Canada.
"The hybrid-buses are an excellent example of using technologies to help address climate change," said Mayor Walter Gray. "When using the buses in urban areas, fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced when compared to conventional diesel buses."
BC Transit purchased six hybrid buses to evaluate environmental and economic benefits of operating hybrid electric buses in the Kelowna and the Victoria regions. Under the transit agreement, the local governments cost-share vehicle operating and debt retirement expenses with the provincial government through BC Transit.
"BC Transit is committed to identifying and adopting new technologies for public transit," said Greg Slocombe, Chair of BC Transit. "As well as environmental quality advantages, the hybrid electric bus has major advantages in lower fuel costs as well as operating and life cycle costs."
This hybrid system uses dual electric motors for regenerative braking that slow the bus down and capture the energy into the battery system. This captured electrical energy is then used to assist in powering the bus using quiet electric motors and adding to the vehicle's efficient use of the diesel engine.
The vehicle supplier is New Flyer, headquartered in Winnipeg with two facilities in the U.S. and is the largest manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses in North America. General Motors , the world's largest automaker, developed and manufactures the hybrid system that is used in the hybrid bus.
Backgrounder
How the Hybrid Electric System Works
A "hybrid drive" means there is a combination of more than one type of motive power on the bus. Hybrid electric buses utilize two power sources: a smaller than normal internal combustion engine and an energy storage unit (the battery). The engine-generator combination works in parallel with the battery, providing electrical power to keep the battery charged. As a result, the engine operates only in its most efficient ranges. For example when accelerating from a stop, the electric transmission accelerates the vehicle to a speed of about 12 kmph.
Once the vehicle is underway, the parallel hybrid system blends both the diesel engine and electric motor power to maintain speed. At highway speeds, the vehicle is powered solely by the diesel engine. During this time, the engine also charges the energy storage system (battery).
Significant fuel economy is achieved when the vehicle runs at its optimal speed, offering top engine performance and low exhaust emissions. The vehicle also uses regenerative braking to charge the batteries.
The hybrid electric bus has three major advantages: reduced fuel consumption, reduced emissions, and lower operating and life cycle costs.
1. Reduced Fuel ConsumptionShort demonstration tests indicate up to a 58% reduction in fuel consumption depending on the vehicle usage profile. The fuel savings could be as high as 100,000 litres per year for the first order of six buses.
2. Reduced Emissions
"Greenhouse" gas emissions, believed to contribute to global warming, are reduced up to 60 per cent. Applying this figure to this initial 6 bus fleet, the estimated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be 403 tonnes per year and up to 90% fewer particulates (the visible black smoke from older diesels.)
3. Lower Costs
The hybrid electric system results in lower operating costs due to reduced stress and maintenance on mechanical components such as brake linings. The hybrid transmission has fewer component parts and therefore requires less maintenance. The hybrid bus option has about a 40 per cent premium on capital. The operating costs savings means the break even point in total expenditures is estimated at 10-12 years dependent upon future petroleum price trends. Buses are typically kept in service for 20 years.
The delivery cost of a regular 40-foot vehicle manufactured according to BC Transit specifications is $530,000. The premium for the hybrid technology is an additional $300,000.
First in Canada
With the purchase of the six hybrid electric vehicles, BC Transit will evaluate environmental and economic benefits of operating these buses. Three buses will be operating in the Kelowna region and three in the Victoria region. After final inspection, staff familiarization and decaling, the buses will go into service early this summer.
BC Transit was the first public transit agency to use low-floor conventional buses (Victoria 1992), low-floor double deck buses (Victoria 2000) and now hybrid buses (Kelowna 2005). As a leader in public transit technologies, BC Transit continues to actively participate in supporting emerging technologies for the future.
BC Transit coordinates the delivery of public transportation through British Columbia outside the Vancouver area. With a fleet of over 700 vehicles, BC Transit provides planning, funding, marketing, fleet management and contracting services to 77 transit systems, carrying over 39 million passengers annually.
New Flyer
New Flyer, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the largest manufacturer of transit buses in North America. The company serves many of the largest transit agencies in the United States and Canada, and has supplied BC Transit with buses for many years. New Flyer has worked closely with General Motors to take a leadership role in developing and producing hybrid electric transit buses.
New Flyer has recently delivered 235 hybrid electric buses to Seattle, both 40-foot vehicles and 65-foot articulated vehicles. Another fleet order is in production for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The six BC Transit buses destined for Kelowna and Victoria, will be the first production-line hybrid buses in Canada.
General Motors
General Motors, the world's largest automaker, supplies the parallel hybrid system used on the hybrid bus. GM's vision is to reduce vehicle emissions to zero, and ultimately remove the automobile from the environmental debate. Its strategy is to focus on the highest fuel-consuming vehicles first, like buses, full-size trucks and SUV's since that is where the hybrid technology can have the greatest fuel savings impact.
Kelowna Regional Transit
The Kelowna Regional Transit System is a partnership between the City of Kelowna, Regional District of Central Okanagan, District of Lake Country and BC Transit. The transit system is operated by Farwest Transit Services Inc.
The three-bus fleet supports the City of Kelowna's commitment for transportation demand management options for the region's residents.

Q&A
Background
BC Transit has purchased three hybrid electric buses to replace aging buses in the Kelowna region. The hybrid technology reduces fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by converting energy normally wasted in braking into electricity and using it to help accelerate the bus.
Another three buses will be used in Greater Victoria. These are the first production-line hybrid vehicles in Canada.
Research on hybrid vehicle applications encourages the transit industry to move toward this technology. A key advantage is that the technology does not impact existing infrastructure or daily business operations, providing a simple step toward improved performance.
How much will it save?
BC Transit staff is projecting up to a 50 percent fuel reduction in stop and go applications, or 22,500 litres. An average bus uses 45,000 litres over a year, traveling 75,000 km.
An additional maintenance savings of 30-50 percent is anticipated in maintenance costs of some major vehicle components.
Fuel-efficiency and maintenance data will be collected and analyzed as the fleet goes into service.
How clean is the bus technology?
In stop and go applications, each year greenhouse gasses are reduced by over four times the weight of a regular bus. That's 60 metric tonnes.
Particulate Matter (PM) is reduced by up to 90 percent over the cleanest diesel buses now in BC Transit's fleet
Carbon Monoxide (CO) reduced by up to 90 percent
Hydrocarbons (HC) reduced by up to 90 percent
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) reduced by up to 40-60 percent
Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) reduced by up to 50 percent
How will bus riders benefit from these new buses?
Up to 50 percent emission reduction
Improved fuel and maintenance efficiency to keep fares and local taxes down
Improved on-road performance through smoother acceleration and no shifting
Low floor makes for easier boarding and exiting
Fabric covered seats
Rear-facing wheelchair position to make it easier for people in wheelchairs to get on
Air-conditioned
Better results for people participating in the One Tonne Challenge
What is the cost of this bus?
Today a regular 40-foot low floor bus costs approximately $530,000. The premium cost for the hybrid technology is an additional $300,000. Based on current fuel costs, the bus should recuperate the additional cost in 10-12 years. The average life span of a transit bus is 20 years.
Is special training required?
Transit mechanics will receive training on the new technology associated to electronics. The hybrid bus has a voltage of 600.
In addition, information will be provided to emergency response staff to understand the electric features of these new vehicles.
Transit drivers will notice little difference in the New Flyer vehicle. There will be a smoother acceleration as there is no transmission shift.
How does it work?
The parallel system provides both a mechanical and an electrical path through the drive unit. As the bus accelerates from a stop, the electric drive predominates. Mechanical drive gradually blends with electric until at highway speeds when the drive is purely mechanical.
The regular bus transmission is replaced by an electric transmission that acts as a transmission, generator and electric motor.
The batteries are located on the roof of the bus and weight approximately 400kg (900lbs)
Why a Hybrid?
The Kelowna region takes clean air seriously and demonstrates this through its commitment to public transit, offering transportation choices to its residents. The decision to include clean-air, hybrid buses is an important step toward protecting the area's environment while reducing traffic congestion. Transit buses are required to meet the emission standards in effect when the bus is built. Heavy-duty diesel engines used in transit buses must meet more stringent standards than diesel engines used in heavy-duty trucks.
Since the early 1990s, Kelowna Regional Transit has been using #1 diesel, the cleanest low-sulphur diesel available. This low sulphur diesel eliminates visible exhaust.
Presently, Kelowna Regional Transit operates a fleet of 49 buses ranging in age from 1982 to 2005. Some vehicles are now at the end of their 20-year useful life.

2.2 -- Calgary's CTrain Turns 25 Years Old!

HAPPY 25TH!

Over its 25 years of operation, the CTrain has made great strides to expand and service a fast-growing community. Our CTrain, in fact, has become the most highly-used Light Rail Transit System in North America.
To commemorate the celebratory event, a CTrain car has been vinyl-wrapped illustrating the CTrain's history and great success after "25 years on track!" Calgary's CTrain is 100 percent emissions-free, the only light rail transit system in North America to be powered by wind-generated electricity.

CTrain Facts
After a modest beginning opening May 25, 1981 on 12.9 kilometres of track from Anderson Station to City Hall, today's CTrain carries 230,000 customers every weekday.
Calgary's LRT system has the highest ridership (both in total and on a per capita basis) of any North American system. For a prairie city with a population of just under a million, this is a significant achievement.

Planning for rapid transit in the city of Calgary began in the 1960s and in 1976 a decision was made to invest in light rail transit.

The CTrain system began operation in 1981 with the opening of a 12.9km south LRT line from Anderson Station to City Hall.

The northeast line followed in 1985 and the first section of the northwest line was opened in 1987 just prior to the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.

The northeast leg of the CTrain system will be extended to McKnight-Westwinds next year and a further extension of the northwest leg will open in 2008.

Today, Calgary's CTrain system stretches 42.1 km with 36 CTrain Stations. The total represents an investment of over $1 billion CDN.

Calgary Transit operates 116 CTrain cars and an additional 33 CTrain cars are on order with the first cars to arrive later this year.

Over the next 10 years, and additional $1 billion will be invested in expanding and maintaining both bus and LRT infrastructure.

82 percent of Calgary's LRT is at grade, 8 percent in tunnel, 5 percent on bridges, 5 percent within the downtown transit mall on 7 Avenue.

In its first year of operation, the CTrain carried over 40,000 daily passengers. Daily weekday ridership now exceeds 230,000 averaging over 600 boardings per operating hour. During peak periods, boarding range from 720 to 780 per operating hour.

The CTrain plays a major role in carrying Calgary's 112,000 downtown workers. Calgary Transit carries over 42 percent of those workers.

Peak hour travel by LRT entering the downtown is equivalent to the capacity of about 16 free flow traffic lanes.

Since 1995, Calgary's population has risen by 23 percent but even more dramatic has been the 45 percent increase in transit ridership.
In 2005, Calgary Transit carried 82 million CTrain and bus passengers.
Every weekday, CTrains travel a total of 12,089km - with a total running time of 420 hours per day.Every Saturday, the total distance traveled is 6,523 km.On Sundays, a total of 6,316 km is traveled. That's 73,284 km per week, and 293,136 km per month - To put that into perspective, the CTrain travels around the world at the equator more than 7 times per month, and travels to the moon and back 4.5 times per year!

2.3 ---Transit contract details add fuel to debate

JENNIFER LEWINGTON
CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF

Key details of an exclusive bid by Bombardier to sell a new generation of subway cars to Toronto will give political comfort to Mayor David Miller and other supporters of the deal, but still leaves critics unimpressed.

Yesterday, the mayor and others commented on the public release -- details of which were reported Wednesday by The Globe and Mail -- of the proposed sole-source Bombardier contract, to be debated by the Toronto Transit Commission at its next meeting on Aug. 30.

Backed by the conclusions of two outside transit experts that the deal is "fair and reasonable," TTC staff have recommended accepting Bombardier's offer to build 234 subway cars for a base price of $499.3-million. With other contract-related costs, the overall Bombardier price rises to $674.7-million.

But the total price tag for the project, including the TTC's own costs, will reach $710-million, less than the previously budgeted figure of $750-million. The subway cars are supposed to be ready for service in 2009, mostly to replace aging vehicles (some now 30 years old), but neither the province nor the federal government have confirmed yet how much money they will chip in as their share of the project.
Yesterday, supporters and critics used the fresh details to buttress their view of the proposed contract, which has been dogged by controversy because it was not put out for competitive bid, as is the norm for city departments.

In a statement released by the mayor's office, Mr. Miller described the Bombardier proposal as "good for city taxpayers and good for Ontario." Noting that the Bombardier cars would be manufactured in Canada (the Montreal-based company has an assembly plant in Thunder Bay), the mayor added "this purchase will improve our transit system while enhancing the domestic economy."

But budget chief David Soknacki, among a minority on council that has called for open competition, said "for those who want to believe this is the right choice, it becomes an easy choice. But it is the wrong choice."

TTC vice-chairman Adam Giambrone, a supporter of the proposal, is confident that his side has enough votes at the TTC -- and at council next month -- to endorse it.

"Once it comes through that this is a good deal, independently verified, I am not too worried," he said.

A key piece of political ammunition for backers of the Bombardier bid is the positive assessment by two international firms that were hired to compare the proposal with recent subway car purchases in North America.

"Despite the sole-source procurement approach, the TTC appears to have a reasonable price," concluded consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the two outside experts.

3. National

3.1 -Calls raised for free transit all of the time. Ridership surges on Spare the Air days

Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Ridership on the Bay Area's public transit systems spiked during the six Spare the Air days when passengers were offered free rides in exchange for parking their polluting cars, prompting some local officials to call for making mass transit free all the time.

The higher numbers generated complaints from some regular commuters who were unhappy with the crowded trains, buses and boats, and the associated delays in service. Reported crime also was up on BART, possibly because paying customers are less likely to vandalize vehicles or torment passengers, said several transit officials.

Despite the scattered gripes, some Bay Area officials want to use the popularity of the Spare the Air no-fare days to push for making free passage the norm.

Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty is one of the most vocal proponents.

"We're not going to be able to pave our way out of the congestion we have today,'' said Haggerty, who also serves on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the regional transportation planning agency. "We have to look at expanding ridership on public transit.''

Offering free rides is one way to do that, he said.

But free is relative. Public transit agencies in the nine Bay Area counties collect nearly $517 million a year at the fare box to help fund operations, many of which are subsidized by grants, taxes and tolls. Revenue to replace fares would have to be found elsewhere.

There are costs associated with collecting fares, but they are nowhere near the half-billion dollar mark, said Randy Rentschler, legislative and public affairs director for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Some cities, such as Portland and Seattle, provide free bus service in their downtown districts. Others, including San Francisco, give free rides on New Year's Eve with the intent of keeping drunken drivers off the roads. Several cities across the country mirror the Bay Area municipalities in offering free service or reduced fares when air pollution is particularly bad. But no major transit agency in the United States has free service year-round.

There are various ways to subsidize a free-fare program in the Bay Area but all would face tremendous political hurdles.

With about 5 million trucks and cars in the Bay Area, officials could tack a $100 surcharge onto annual registration fees. Or they could raise the sales tax or bridge tolls to fund a free-transit program.

Another option is to cut public transit service to reduce operational costs.

San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who also serves on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, said the notion of year-round free transit "is something that should be pursued. The question, of course, is where would we get the money for this?''

One idea Ammiano has unsuccessfully pushed was to impose a special assessment on downtown businesses to help fund the Municipal Railway.

Haggerty says the federal government should assist in setting up a 1-year pilot project to provide free transit with the goal of reducing air pollution. The government can withhold federal transportation funds when regions exceed federal air pollution standards.

The Bay Area already has blown through this year's budget for free-transit on Spare the Air days, spending nearly $14 million in subsidies to transit agencies that lost fare revenue.

The designation for the free-fare days -- three in June and three earlier this month -- came when the Bay Area Air Quality Management District projected that smog might exceed federal health-based limits. Originally, there was enough money for three days, but the unusually hot, wind-free conditions prompted the expenditure of additional money for three more days.

The program -- formed with the dual goal of lessening air pollution and generating interest in public transit -- proved to be a success, with an increase of ridership throughout the more than two dozen public transit systems that participated. It also helped to keep air pollution levels in check, officials reported.

BART, for instance, saw an increase of between 16,000 and 33,000 additional boardings on the days when there was no charge. That's on top of the 315,000 or so typical weekday boardings. The number of people using ferries operated by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District ballooned, as well. On July 21, for example, ridership on the Sausalito ferry jumped 510 percent, with nearly 12,000 boardings.

A push to fund more free-fare days may come as early as today when the governing board of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission meets.

"Can we scare up a few million dollars more? Sure,'' said Rentschler of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which allocates about $1.5 billion a year for various transit and roadway projects. But, he noted, the extra allocation likely would mean less money for something else.


3.2 ---See you at the bus stop

Thursday, August 24 2006

BUS RAPID TRANSIT — The Next Generation of Public Transportation’ is the title of the latest brochure by Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB). Yes, the Transport Ministry’s consultant leading the Trinidad Rapid Rail Project.

In it PB says, “Around the world, transit owners are turning to bus rapid transit (BRT) to provide communities with efficient, flexible, affordable transportation….Whether in congested urban areas or suburban travel corridors, BRT is attracting new riders by combining the high-performance characteristics of rail with the flexibility and economy of buses. Transit providers are discovering that BRT achieves the excellent quality of service that customers associate with rail—but at significantly reduced cost.” Yes, I know that the Government has instructed PB to introduce rapid rail to Trinidad at any cost, but I wonder how this is resting on the mind of one of the world’s largest specialist transportation consultants, seeing that they know better. It must be nothing short of immoral.

What is BRT? I refer to my article examining BRT, published in Newsday’s Business Day on December 22, 2005, “The BRT system is based on the concept of utilising the most popular features of Light Rail Transit (LRT) with the flexibility and cost advantages of traditional roadway transit. It can come in a variety of different forms, from dedicated busways that have their own rights-of-way (including traffic signal preferential treatment and pre-emption at intersections) to bus services that utilise High Occupancy Volume (HOV) lanes, and dedicated highway lanes to limited stop buses on conventional routes.”

PB continues “On BRT projects worldwide, system owners have chosen PB to help tailor BRT technology to local needs. To the riding public, BRT looks, feels and performs like rapid transit. Service is frequent, speedy and comfortable. To the owner, BRT is an innovative alternative that can be built faster and with less expense than comparable rail systems…With innovative features inside and out, BRT transports passengers with smooth, quiet comfort at average speeds up to twice those of conventional buses. In fact, vehicles on the O-Bahn, in Adelaide, Australia, whisk along at 100 kph on a bus guideway for which PB provided preliminary engineering design and operational planning. The O-Bahn system has reduced travel times and improved schedule reliability, with service every 20-30 seconds during peak hours.

“Specialised BRT vehicles can be outfitted like modern streetcars and accommodate 120 to 160 passengers. Low floors make for easy boarding, and multiple doors cut dwell times to improve headways in high-travel corridors. Propulsion may be low-sulphur clean diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), fuel cells, electric or hybrid engines.

“BRT can also be the backbone of a metropolitan transit system. PB is assisting planners in Beijing, China, with review of a citywide BRT network, providing advice on corridor capacity analysis, intermodal integration approaches and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies. In Brisbane, Australia, PB assisted Queensland Transport in expanding its BRT network with detailed design of a 15-km extension to Logan City. PB is providing design and engineering services for alignments, stations, and park-and-ride facilities. PB also contributed planning and design services to Brisbane’s South East Busway, which opened in 2001, and the Inner Northern Busway, which opened in 2004.

“BRT’s adaptable infrastructure is a great benefit to system owners. The running ways on which vehicles operate range from highway medians and reserved street lanes to downtown transit malls, tunnels and exclusive rights of way. BRT also allows transit operators to directly serve major activity centres such as universities and shopping malls that would be too costly to access via other transit modes…In other applications, BRT vehicles share portions of their routes with autos on city streets. In any case, BRT reduces land requirements because it needs few specialised structures; owners can rely on the existing pool of roadway contractors. Typically, existing transit maintenance and storage facilities can be reused for BRT.

“Bus rapid transit is a practical, powerful tool for sustainable community planning and achieving transit-oriented development…BRT also helps owners bring transit to growing areas, such as ‘edge cities,’ where land use density is relatively low but the need to reduce auto congestion is urgent. For example, to provide alternative methods of travel in the rapidly growing outer suburbs of Sydney, Australia, PB developed a comprehensive strategy for the 90-km Western Sydney Transitway Network.

And in Kansas City, Missouri, PB helped the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority define its Metro Express BRT route—a package of low-cost improvements (reserved bus lanes, skip-stop service, enhanced bus stops, signal priority, special vehicles) to improve service and increase ridership.”

Well stated PB, I could not have done it better. The world is also looking on with interest to see your recommendations for Trinidad and Tobago in the Comprehensive National Transportation Study.

3.3 ---Some AC Transit buses to offer Wi-Fi service

Wireless Internet on crossbay routes to S.F., Peninsula

Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, August 24, 2006

AC Transit is set to become the first public bus system in Northern California, and one of a handful nationwide, to offer free wireless Internet service -- a potential tool to increase ridership in the tech-savvy Bay Area.

"Folks will be able to surf to work and back," said Aram Boyd, senior marketing representative for AC Transit.

The agency plans to provide Wi-Fi access on the crossbay routes that link the East Bay to San Francisco and the Peninsula. Testing is scheduled to begin next week, with the goal to have service running by midfall, Boyd said.

A few local transit agencies either already provide Wi-Fi service or are planning for it, including Caltrain, the Altamont Commuter Express and some ferries. It is available on public buses in Seattle, Riverside in Southern California, Cincinnati, Tampa and Cedar Rapids.

Part of the challenge for AC Transit will be to provide uninterrupted service on vehicles moving through varied terrain and maintaining a connection fast enough to keep users' nerves from frazzling.

The wireless capability will be available on AC Transit's 79 MCI-manufactured buses that cross the Dumbarton, San Mateo and Bay Bridge spans. Passengers using their specially equipped laptops, personal digital assistants and MP3 players will be able to send and receive e-mail and use the Internet.

AC Transit administrators view the program, which is funded with $340,000 in state transportation funds, as an opportunity to "provide a significant competitive advantage over auto travel and BART usage, neither of which allows for Internet connection and use,'' according to a briefing memo prepared for AC Transit's board of directors.

BART has entered into preliminary discussions with potential vendors to provide Internet service on its trains, but there are no concrete plans to move forward, said Jim Allison, a BART spokesman.

"For the time being, we're concentrating on cell phone service in the Transbay Tube,'' he said.

San Francisco's Municipal Railway, the largest public transit operator in the region, has no plans at this time to provide wireless Internet on its fleet of street cars, buses, trolleys and cable cars, according to agency spokeswoman Maggie Lynch. "It's not at the top of our list,'' she said.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which operates in San Jose and surrounding communities, doesn't have Wi-Fi available yet, but is working to outfit its light-rail trains. "We're not doing anything specifically with our buses right now," said VTA spokeswoman Jayme Kunz.

The same goes for Golden Gate Transit buses. Mary Currie, spokeswoman for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, said wireless Internet has been available on the ferries for the past six months as part of a demonstration project. Glitches, such as a dead spot near Angel Island, are still being worked out, she said, as is the ultimate business relationship with the vendor.

SamTrans buses don't have Wi-Fi service, "but that doesn't mean we won't someday,'' said agency spokesman, Jonah Weinberg. Its sister rail operation, Caltrain, is planning to provide high-speed Internet service, but full coverage is still a year or so away, Weinberg said.

Other rail systems serving the Bay Area -- the ACE trains that run between Stockton and San Jose and the Capital Corridor trains traveling between San Jose and Sacramento -- have been offering Wi-Fi connections for almost three years.

Patrick Flynn, a human resources manager who commutes between San Francisco and Berkeley on AC Transit two or three days a week, said he'd make use of the Internet service during his morning commute.

"I'd be able to get a jumpstart on my work," Flynn said. "By the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is get back on my laptop. I just want to look out the window and relax."