Peak Auto?

Peak Auto?

... The question is whether or not we in the USA will wake up to this new reality in time to take advantage of the economic opportunities and needs of the new era -such as the need for American manufacturers of streetcars, for instance.
The really good news in this story is that this could be a transition to a time when the carnage from motor vehicle crashes will no longer be considered an accepted part of modern life. A time when our urban places will once more be designed for people and not be trashed to accommodate cars. And when the profligate burning for mobility of the earth’s finite store of petroleum will be looked at as a quaint relic of the past. A past not unlike the one now regulated to the movies where people smoked in doctor’s offices and on airplanes. A past that causes us to say: what were they thinking?...Norman Garrick on Planetizen

SMART-card: "Madness"

Let's learn from the bitter experience of the expensive "SMART-card" farce in Australia, with this timely report from Adam Butler:

Millions will be wasted on ticketing system

The NSW State Government just doesn't get it. They seem to think that it is OK to spend millions of dollars on a TICKETING SYSTEM. One that will not attract more customers or increase the capacity of the transport network. Read more here....

Relieving the state of the burdens associated with running a user-pays system by having free public transport will see us more forward in leaps and bounds....if only they'd get their hands out of their pockets and open their eyes.

5000 mammoth rigs add to road-clogged mayhem

Over Easter weekend 12 people perished in road smashes, and dozens more were hospitalised.
But during the same week the government announced that up to 5000 over-sized super-rigs will be permitted on our roads, with loads up to 53 tonnes each.
There are already too many vehicles clogging up our roads. Trucks are involved in 16% of all deaths on NZ roads, even though they comprise only 4% of the vehicle fleet. Another 5000 mammoth trucks will make our roads even more deadly.
More fuel guzzling trucks will also churn up our roads and waste precious fuel as we reach peak oil and peak asphalt .. and undermine rail freight services.

Peter De Waal comments:

The NZ Herald Editorial on Wednesday Apr 7, 2010: "Danger from heavier loads simple physics" about the proposal to increase the weight limits of trucks used on selected our roads does not raise any serious opposition to the plan.

The decision to use 53 tonne as opposed to 44 tonne trucks on New Zealand's 60-year-old fragile roading system is one based on faith, not economics.

New Zealand's roads were well-built, but poorly engineered. The lack of adequate shoulder areas and the sharp radius of turns throughout the system point to shortcuts in planning and budgets. Such fine details of road construction are lost on most commuters, as they drive small vehicles weighing only 1000-2000 Kg. Trying to punt a heavy truck around such bends, where you are totally committed to the line you choose at the start of the apex, is a different matter entirely.

Trucks are around 8 times less energy efficient than rail transportation. The price of oil is predicted to rise sharply after 2012, so any "efficiency gains" from the use of heavier trucks is likely to be wiped out.

A recent article by Kurt Cobb about future oil supplies, shows world oil production - currently around 86 million barrels-per-day (BPD) - will fall to 80 million BPD by 2016; 67 million BPD by 2020; and to 60 million BPD by 2023.

These numbers are based on research by Glenn Sweetman of the US Government's Energy Information Administration, an authoritative source. In the same period worldwide demand is slated to increase to 90 million BPD by 2016; 95 million BPD by 2020; and to 98 million BPD by 2023.

The highly efficient stock market will respond to this shortage by bidding up prices, to levels far higher than seen in 2007 when oil briefly reached US$147 a barrel. This will effectively shut-down world trade. So much for the National parties' optimistic predictions of ever increasing trucking volumes.

The problem of road wear will be greatly increased buy the use of heavier long-distance trucks. It will fall to ratepayers and families renting housing to foot the bill for strengthening bridges and frequently rebuilding broken-up highways. The materials required for this repair work are also rapidly increasing in price, such as the diesel fuel to power heavy excavators etc., but most importantly asphalt, for which a world-wide shortage has begun. See: The NZ government also believes that such excess weight vehicles can be restricted to a few specially-strengthened roads. The recent grounding of a coal bulk carrier in the Great Barrier reefs shows, with all it's potential for environmental disaster, that if money can be saved by taking a short-cut, it will be.

Given the oil and asphalt crises about to burst on New Zealand, it would be prudent to prioritise rail shipping, and limit the distances and weights trucks can carry.

The trucks themselves have a relatively short life span of around 10 years. Railway rolling stock lasts for decades. The New Zealand public are effectively paying for an entirely new transport infrastructure every decade. No wonder New Zealand is so far behind other OECD countries. The economic dividend of this waste is paid to trucking bosses and their political supporters, but the real political dividend is the individualism and atomisation of the workforce that small, highly competitive trucking companies create. No capitalist government, be it National or Labour, wants to see the resurgence of rail, and the rail unions.

I recently listened to an interview of Colin Campbell about his life-long career as an oil geologist and Peak Oil where he made the point that "China had it's economic boom at 5 seconds to midnight." The same blind subjectivism seems to rule New Zealand's bosses, who think their overdeveloped sense of personal entitlement and some vague idea of "New Zealand exceptionalism" will make up for a global energy shortage. "Yeah, right."

Such short-sighted planning, based only on the needs of the next quarter's profit report, are about to undo the current crop of leaders. But you won't read that in the New Zealand Herald...

Tackling the myths about free public transport

The 'Auckland Transport' blogsite recently ran a posting from 'Chris N' which listed the many benefits of introducing free public transport. This sparked a flurry of correspondence, including a collection old cliches and myths penned by the blogsite host.

Fare-FreeNZ posted this response:

Thanks for reconsidering the merits of free public transport.
But let’s have a look at some of the old myths you raise.
Your scenario of “a free ride on a very crowded and old bus each day” has never been part of the proposal advocated by proponents of free public transport.
Fare-free transit presupposes that the public transport system would be efficient, totally integrated, frequent and of a very high standard – using comfortable, modern low-emission vehicles. Such a new network would require at least three times the number of buses we now have in Auckland, plus a decent electrified rail service & support infra-structure for starters. Good user-friendly amenities for cyclists and pedestrians would also be a vital component.
It took the Belgium city of Hasselt several years to get it’s bus services up to a quality standard before they introduced zero-fares twelve years ago – and now everybody gets about the city easily, with no traffic congestion – which had been a serious problem previously.
Your tired old cliche about ‘vagrants’[on buses] would be easily overcome by engaging public transport ‘ambassadors’ to assist passengers and deter anti-social behaviour… again, as they do effectively in Hasselt. And there would be no incentive for assaults on drivers as there would be no cashbox to rob and no disputes over fares! The driver will be free to do his/her job – get everyone to their destinations safely.
[Chris N outlines other benefits very well... have another look at what he says.]
Yes, of course it will cost alot of money. But introducing fare-free, quality public transport would cost a fraction of the billions currently wasted on extremely expensive motorways that we all know will be clogged up again in no time – and, to make matters worse, now this government is allowing up to 5000 extra-super-rigs to churn up the roads and increase the road toll even more – and guess who’s going to get the bill for all of this mayhem? …not to mention the extravagant cost of these proposed new flash ticketing systems for the current inefficient, worn-out bus & rail system.
Supporters of the status quo and car dependency never seem to factor in the appalling costs of the carnage on the roads – another 10 people perished over Easter weekend, and another several dozen mangled bodies ended up in hospital. Then there’s the phenomenal rising health costs and human suffering due to pollution problems – much of which comes from the abundance of cars clogging our roads each day. There is also the issue of increased costs & waste of precious fuel.
No – we should see decent public transport as an important, free & easily accessible public service, with funding shared by all for the common good, like many other public services – not as some sort of burden.
It’s time to make major changes to get people out of cars and to let us get about the city in a civilised & sensible manner. Traffic chaos is literally killing hundreds of people and making city life unsustainable & miserable.
Much of our public transport is already subsidized by taxes and road user charges – why not up-grade it properly and cover the costs collectively? In Hasselt the residents rates decreased after free buses were introduced and the city flourished. Auckland too could lead the way as truly ‘world class, clean, green, pleasant city’ and a fine example for others. I’m sure that the resulting increased numbers of tourists would be happy to contribute to the cost of their ‘carbon-footprint’ by paying a special vistors’ levy to help with the nation’s transport costs too.
If your readers wish to follow up on these issues, there are dozens of free public transport blogsites around the world, and everyone is welcome to check out our New Zealand site at:farefreenz.blogspot.com
Email address: farefreenz@clear.net.nz
For rational mobility,
Roger Fowler
Editor
Fare-FreeNZ
comment posted on http://transportblog.co.nz/2010/04/06/free-public-transport/

Popular protests, boycott threat & free shoppers' bus wins victory

Community action saves Mangere East post office

At the picket of the Mangere East Countdown store, community activist, Roger Fowler, receives unanimous support for a boycott and free shuttle service to a rival supermarket. Photo credit Manukau Courier.

When food giant Progressive Enterprises served an eviction notice on the Mangere East Post Office recently, they didn’t factor in the united outrage of the local community.

Progressive have a grand plan to demolish the Mangere East shops they own and build a bigger Countdown store on the site. Their four-weeks eviction notice on their neighbour was to be their first move.

When local residents found out, they called an urgent meeting at the community hall. Over 250 turned up to campaign to save their Post Office & Kiwibank, and set about organising a series of protest actions. Mangere MP Su’a William Sio, several city councillors, community & church leaders and the Mangere Community Board swung in behind the campaign. The walls of the shopping centre were plastered with well-read daily wall-newspapers with updates on the campaign. A community petition attracted over 6000 signatures.

Over 200 angry locals picketed the Countdown store and loudly endorsed a plan to boycott Countdown and run a free shoppers’ bus service to the rival Pak ‘N Save store in Mangere. The community centre offered their bus for a half-hourly free shuttle service.

After the rowdy lunchtime protest the Post Office manager received an email from Progressive bosses agreeing to drop the eviction notice, and offered a public apology and to meet with protest leaders. At that meeting the company also agreed to on-going consultations with the protesters regarding their development plans, and to offer the Post Office a prime position in the new Countdown store.

Progressive, is renowned for being arrogant & stubborn – remember their infamous lock out three years ago. But after just two weeks of concerted community protest action they were forced to back down.

No money for free public transit? Here is why:

No money for free public transit? Here is why:

Autosprawl wastes energy. The subsidies required to support it are so high that we are printing money to pay them. One of the biggest subsidies is the money spent fighting to control the sources and pipeline routes of more energy. These wars cost a lot of money.

Greens ask: "What are we waiting for?"

Hamilton to Auckland commuter rail must roll

The Green Party is urging the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to support the passenger train service between Waikato and Auckland.

“This is a common sense project with massive public support,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Gareth Hughes.

Mr Hughes is in Hamilton for the presentation of Campaign for Better Transport’s 11,000 signature petition in support of the service.

“Every day hundreds of people drive between Auckland and Hamilton. A fast, efficient commuter service could allow them to do the trip faster, in more comfort, and also allow them to work if a wireless internet link was established on board the train,” said Mr Hughes.

A commuter rail service connecting Hamilton with Auckland would reduce congestion on SH1 at peak times. This benefits both the environment and is good for the Auckland region’s economy. ARTA estimates the cost of reduced congestion per person per year is $24,000.

“There is massive public support as indicated by the more than 11,000 people who signed the petition including Hamilton City Council, The Auckland Regional Council and local businesses who support the project and could allow their employees to work on the train, rather than losing profitable work time on the road,” Mr Hughes said.

“This Government is pouring massive amounts of public funds into uneconomic motorways like the Puhoi to Wellsford Holiday Highway or Transmission Gully yet fails to balance this investment with other transport opportunities in rail.”

For ever dollar invested in buses, trains, walking, and cycling, the Government spends seven dollars on roads. Such a one-sided investment strategy is leaving viable rail alternatives to roads out of NZTA’s funding decisions.

“The NZTA needs to stump up with the small amount of funds needed to get this important and popular project off the ground,” said Mr Hughes.

“The rail line is there, the carriages are sitting there, the people want it — what are we waiting for!”

For more information:
Gareth Hughes MP, 027 422 9290
Robert Ashe, Political & Media Advisor, 04 817 6714

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Want tourists? Arthur Frommer says give them free transit

Want tourists? Arthur Frommer says give them free transit

I know a way to make headlines -- positive, approving headlines -- for tourism to the U.S.A. It involves announcing a major gift to foreign visitors that would dramatically display our regard for them. It would cost nothing, require only a small amount of effort on the part of public officials, and would be infinitely more effective than all the overseas advertisements and TV commercials to be funded by the new Tourism Promotion Act recently passed by Congress...
Arthur Frommer http://frommers.com/blog

17 reasons for fare-free transit

'Walking Culture' (Canada) looks at Dave Olsen's list of the benefits of free public transport.

From: walkingculture.wordpress.com (23 March 2010)

In an era of constantly increasing transit fares justified by the argument that riders must share the cost of public transportation, Dave Olsen makes the case that public transit should be fully paid through taxes. In an article that discusses how much the private car is subsidized, how ridership drops with every increase in fares, the impact of private vehicles on greenhouse gasses and the cost of fare administration, Olsen provides a list of benefits of free public transit.

“Fare-free transit brings many benefits, some of which include:

1. a barrier-free transportation option to every member of the community (no more worries about exact change, expiring transfers, or embarrassment about how to pay)
2. eliminating a “toll” from a mode of transportation that we as a society want to be used (transit is often the only way of getting around that charges a toll)
3. reducing the inequity between the subsidies given to private motorized vehicle users and public transport users
4. reducing, and in some cases eliminating, the need for private motorized vehicle parking
5. reducing greenhouse gas emissions, other air pollutants, noise pollution (especially with electric trolleys), and run-off of toxic chemicals into fresh water supplies and ocean environments
6. reducing overall consumption of oil and gasoline
7. eliminating the perceived need to spend billions on roads and highways (now up to $7 billion for the proposed Gateway Project in Vancouver)
8. eliminating the perceived need to spend billions on bigger car-carrying ferries ($2.5 billion for BC Ferries’ new super-sized boats and ramps)
9. contributing significantly to the local economy by keeping our money in our communities
10. reducing litter (in Vancouver, the newer transfers/receipts have overtaken fast food packaging for most common garbage found on our streets)
11. saving trees by eliminating the need to print transfers and tickets
12. allowing all bus doors to be used to load passengers, making service faster and more efficient
13. allowing operators (drivers) to focus on driving safely
14. giving operators more time to answer questions
15. providing operators a safer work environment since fare disputes are eliminated
16. eliminating fare evasion and the criminalization of transit-using citizens
17. fostering more public pride in shared, community resources”

This article is definitely worth a read and bringing to the attention of our politicians and transit authorities. There are certainly some good points raised and the comments provided by readers are equally as illuminating.

For the entire article see http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/07/05/NoFares1/

Taking us for a ride

Letter to the editor of "The Aucklander" newspaper, in response to the paper's feature article on the city's inefficient public transport system.

22nd March 2010

Spot on! The major problems are ARTA and traffic.
Perhaps your reporter could mull over the following points:
1. Public transport should be free. There are a number of models for this in Europe.
2. Public transport should be owned and controlled by the town or city council. Again models in Europe support this.
3. Putting public transport in the hands of private enterprise does not work. The profit motive overrides all others. Again, Europe has models that support this.
4. Increasing use of public transport will not come about by widening roads, increasing car parks, or by making life easier for the motorist. If anything the reverse should be applied - make parking difficult, make the main routes bus friendly and car unfriendly, ban cars from the CBD.
In the case of Auckland, there are questions that could be raised about the role of ARTA in the departure of Stagecoach and the advent of Ritchies. These events arguably worsened an already detoriating transport system.
Jim