From: jciccare@adobe.com (John Ciccarelli)
Newsgroups: ba.transportation
Subject: Viable auto alternative system? (long)
Date: 6 Oct 92 18:29:48 GMT
Reply-To: jciccare@adobe.com (John Ciccarelli)
Followup-To: ba.transportation
Organization: Adobe Systems, Mountain View, CA

In article <1992Oct5.212019.25347@octel.com> marc@octel.com (Marc Lewert) writes:
>1) You can either convince a person to leave their car by providing an
>	alternative that appears to THEM, not you, to be useable.
>
>2) You can force them out of their cars by passing laws.

I agree absolutely.  When most people hear of "Transportation Demand
Management" I'll bet they shudder and think of (2).  I feel we 
"transportation thinkers" should concentrate on (1).

This is why, for example, Caltrain's bikes-on-board demo program has 
me jazzed.  If it becomes permanent, with adequate capacity on all trains,
anyone willing and able to cycle two miles on either end of their train 
ride will have much of the urban area of the Peninsula accessible without 
a car, all day and most of the night.

But bikes aren't for everybody.  Is it even possible to create practical
door-to-door alternatives to car use for at least some part of this 
valley?  "Traditional" transit modes ain't it, at least by themselves.  
How can we get from a so-called "system" that's understandably ignored 
by the majority, to something that can provide, say, 50% of all trips
(not 5%, as in some area transit plans)?  

What might it look like?  I imagine a three-tier transit system, borrowing
some elements from existing transit, and inventing others: 

* 1."Backbone": arterial, high speed, high frequency (every 10 or 15 minutes)
few stops -- like CalTrain (with higher frequency).  Provides a "city
to city" connection.

* 2."Local loops" starting and ending at backbone stations, serving 
shopping and residential areas.  Local loops intersect with each other
too, so you can do a "local to local" trip without a backbone segment.
I'd replace today's so-called bus "routes" that go nowhere fast.  

* 3."On demand" shuttles, like shared taxis that would take you to a 
loop or backbone stop, or fairly directly to your destination if it was
in the nearby area.  Eliminates a major reason why people won't use 
buses.  Of course you can still walk to a tier 2 stop, or choose your 
home location accordingly.  Possible use of central computer-assisted 
dispatching/routing. 

* "Assured Connection" policy.  Vehicles in each tier would *always* wait 
for connecting vehicles, eliminating another perception problem (and a
real personal security issue for many people) of today's bus lines.  
No abandonment on the sidewalk waiting for a connection that may not come.  

What about bikes?  They provide "tier 3" service, and for experienced
riders tier 2 as well ("bikies" use them for tier 1 too :-).  I'd put 
racks on the loop buses but maybe not on the shuttles.  For the backbone 
there would be full bike capacity on board, plus secure enclosed storage 
-- day-use and monthly rental -- at stations.

I imagine that with such a multi-tiered system you might transfer more 
on a long trip, but you'd get there faster on average, and with assured 
connections.  For local sources and destinations I'd expect you'd perceive
much better service (being able to get where you want faster and more
directly).  Door-to-door service is available if you need it or want to 
pay for it.  And a guarantee that when you step out your door you'll be 
able to get to your destination without standing alone in the elements, 
with a good time estimate of how long it will take.

Cost and practicality? Unknown.  How much current motorists would pay 
for this? Unknown.  Estimates of time it would take to get between
real destinations?  Unknown.  

Who wants to brainstorm this with me?  Who has pointers to books or 
papers on transit system and timetable design, including the mechanics
of transfer timing and such? 

/John


-- 
John Ciccarelli           Adobe Systems,  1585 Charleston |    _~C      __C
jciccare@mv.us.adobe.com  Mountain View CA USA 94039-7900 |  ='\<,    ='\<,
uunet!adobe!jciccare      415/962-6677,  fax:415/903-0584 | (&)/(\)  (&)/(\)
=== "If you live within 7 miles of your job, why drive?" === BIKE TO WORK ==
Newsgroups: ba.transportation,ba.politics