Old 09-09-04, 05:52 PM
  #43  
Seanholio
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Originally Posted by Dahon.Steve
What do you consider rarely being used?

Every line in New York City is rarely used after midnight but the service continues to run anyway because people need it. The buses run empty after 9 o'clock but they continue to run because people need the service. It has been demonstrated that if you discontinue night service, overall passenger usage will drop. Many commuter lines run 70% empty during the weekends but it's important they continue to run or people will stop using the service completely and head to their cars.

The lightrail in my city has been a tremendous success because you don't need a schedule as the trains run every 15 minutes 7 days a week!! The trains ran fairly empty for many years but now I'm noticing they are full even during the weekends! After 12:00 o'clock on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon, it's common to find 4 or 5 baby carriages inside and standing room only for those that want to board. The people are finally coming!

You may not like CalTrain but it has been a success. Who would have ever believed that California would spend billions needed for rail transport after they raised their extensive trolley network years ago. One thing is certain, it's better to have crowded trains than empty ones because that is what the system was designed for. If the cars were always empty, it would have been an expensive boondoggle not worth starting. CalTrain continues to expand and more usage, crowded trains is a testament to it's success.

Try boarding the #4 Lexington Avenue Express in Manhattan at 8:45 in the morning. You will be crushed like a sardine! Is this a failure?? Hardly. This is a success of mass transportation!

Often times rail lines simply can't put more tains because they are running at capacity. This is often the case with many lines in New York City that are running trains right after the other and each car is full. I suspect CalTrain has limited funds since most of the money is being spent on further highway development. This is unfortunate but the train is coming back. Visit www.lightrailnow.com for the latest developement.

By the way, do we close off highways to save money by sending the toll collectors home because there are not enough people using the parkway? How is it an efficient use of resources keeping all those employees working on our roads (Police, construction, toll collection etc) when very few motorists are using them?

I generally consider empty busses to be rarely used, and a waste of resources, both financial and environmental. How can you state that people need these busses and trains when they are empty?

It sounds to me like your lightrail had a ramp up time, like any other service, and is now successful. Except for one thing: It is likely bleeding dollars like crazy. Your #4 would be a failure in my book because the quality of service presented to the end user is poor. If you are stuck between an armpit and a hipbone with your right leg jammed up against the door, something needs to change. So, it is successful in that it moves many people from where they are to where they need to be, but I think it could be better.

As far as your question as to tolls, who needs people to take tolls? We have a FastPass system here in California, which allows an electronic device to automagically handle your tolls. If those were to become universal, toll collector salaries would be negligible.

Highway Patrol is not a budget I touch or complain about, nor are Fire or EMS.
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