Making Things Happen with Bus Rapid Transit, Part I

[LouisMackenzieMayo]

I reckon every corridor requires a different solution BRT, LRT or Heavy Rail

[timtwoface]

I still think that, overall, subways or elevated trains - or any train system segregated from street traffic - is definitely better, rapid buses should always be part of any transit network in any major city. Vancouver has had it for nearly 15 years now and it's been great in all its applications - and some proved so popular they had to be replaced with trains.

[rockybarbarella]

yeh... show us a bus and tell us BRT as if we were born yesterday. keep making idiots out of us

[Baron2yahoo]

Agreed!!!! This isn't some new technology or even actual progress. It's just an acknowledgment that our current bus systems are weak and the government entities running them are cheap!!!! Copying subways systems to make bus systems look better. The leadership today is so NARROW minded, it makes me sick. The incumbent ruin everything for our generation, that actually have ideas to run this stuff better. These people who set this up don't even ride the buses.

[rockybarbarella]

@Baron2yahoo Dreams sellers, brands creators... all on the back of the costumers and tax taxpayers!

[murfreebear]

Nashville, TN has it's first Lite BRT route. It is a start and I hope the go all the way with the BRT idea.

[Baron2yahoo]

@Aragnatim that's an example from Minnesota. The situation is not the same in every city like yours. I live in the South, and Atlanta's subway is way better than their bus system. In alabama buses breakdown all the time, and take forever to get to there destinations. The best systems are the ones overseas. Public transit in U.S. is a "joke" unless you live in large localities. BRT would be a solution solution, but I just don't like the propoganda used to downsize other forms of transportation.

[Baron2yahoo]

Focusing on just the advancement of one type of transportation over another in particular destroys the diversity and progress of public transportation in general. So BRT is going to be the next way we construct the infrastructure our cities, so do we abandon and slow the expansion of all other forms just because we can't afford to expand them as well as we'd expand BRT. Well @Aragnatim if you listen closely that is exactly what they're saying.

[Aragnatim]

@Baron2yahoo Im from MN, I live in the cities, they are building LRT all the time

the new central corridor is a perfect example. It is supposed to connect the two downtowns, but it takes 39 minutes! the 94c (express route) runs along 94 and does the trip in less than ten. It is a billion dollar project. plus they're closing washington ave to traffic @ the u.

That's where i'm coming from with BRT

[bobcab1010]

@Aragnatim, i agree, one thing, this is cost effective specially for the a growing city like CEBU. Hopefully, we have had started a study about this project. Unanimously, the city council appreciate this Project.

[Baron2yahoo]

This is a very big lie they're spreading. All other forms of transportation are just as efficient and add diversity. The fact of the matter is that it is "CHEAPER" than rail systems as noted 3:53 -57 and that's the number one reason that they want to do this!!!!

[Aragnatim]

@Baron2yahoo so,

cheaper isn't a good reason

it runs basically the same as a light rail

and you don't care if it's cheaper

u said urself

'all other forms are just as efficient'

well, i would rather pay less taxes for the same thing

[Baron2yahoo]

@Aragnatim no they don't run the same. Big difference is simple rail vs bus. Sure its cheaper, but as efficient I don't believe so. Rather than worrying about your taxes do some reasearch on the actual efficiency of different transportation systems compared in different cities rather than watching an ad advocating just one of them.

[Aragnatim]

@Baron2yahoo

I have been doing research

spent alot of time doing it.

have you ever ridden the campus connector @ the U of M?

it is a BRT, and runs very well.

and with LRT, in MN at least, it is over a $billion for one 14 mile line.

and the fares dont pay for it. u can sneak on to the hiawatha w/out paying

it is run completely by taxes. and BRT can run itself off of fares.

[agardebring]

BRT systems are interesting but I am sorry to say some of the facts in this video are untrue. A BRT cannot reach the same capacity numbers as a Light Rail or Subway system. For example, in Stockholm, Sweden, where i live a full subway train can take 1200 persons.

[Aragnatim]

@agardebring

so, your train can carry 1200 people PACK TO BURSTING

but those trains can only run every 6 minutes for safety reasons

buses carry less, but can run every 7 SECONDS if they need to

expandable capacity

[agardebring]

@Aragnatim:

6 minutes? In rush hour we have about 1-2 minutes between each train. With a traffic control system this is not a problem. A bus cannot run every 7 seconds for the simple reason that it takes longer time for people to get on an off than that.

[Aragnatim]

@agardebring actually, the way it works is like an accordion. bunching @ stations and spreading out on the road. and they don't run @ 7 seconds. They just can. 30 seconds to a minute is more like it.

and i'm sorry i generalized about rail.

On the MN hiawatha line, they need to run 6 minutes apart.

[sega31098]

I like BRT, but why don't they try trolleybuses and go underground in places where needed? Would that be cheaper? Why doesn't anyone try Trolleybus subways?

[Danotto9797]

i totally agree with you. their power should be generated by solar power.

[SPS148669]

Actually Boston in USA has a Bubway (Bus-Subway "Silver Line") It is less effective than rail subway because it it hard to steer a bus in a narrow curvy tunnel at high speeds without hitting the wall. plus it cost more to dig deeper for a straight high speed tunnesl and lastly bus cannot form trains for increased capacity. Boston's Bubway was a white elephant (Cool idea but poor execution.)

[sega31098]

I know Boston has a Bus-subway, but why not try larger lanes?

[sega31098]

And I don't get how he has to steer too much. Isn't Boston's Silver Line running on an overhead wire?

[SPS148669]

Curves in the tunnel so the tunnel can get around underground Utilities????

[sega31098]

Why not try guided busways? Like Adelaide. There is a path that guides the wheels in the direction the bus needs to go without having to steer too much, but you would probably need to pedal.

[SPS148669]

It will only work in smaller cities as you'll get bus congestion in larger cities where full trains are required.

[sega31098]

I like BRT, but why don't they try trolleybuses and go underground in places where needed? Would that be cheaper?

[fredxtini1]

The only public transport that is really effective? Subways, LRTs and rail... BRTs are the last push of the oil and car industry...

[BayAreaBiker2001]

Subway and LRT? San Francisco has both. On Market Street, the LRT MUNI is also a subway. Parts of BART are also subway, the Mission/Market Street segments in San Francisco, Downtown Oakland, San Bruno, South San Francisco, and Berkeley are subway. From Fremont to San Leandro, then from MacArthur to Richmond, BART is elevated.

[jhonata307]

curitiba é um exemplo para o mundo!!!!!!!

BRAZIL

[cochicochi51]

日本語がほしい

[jaworskij]

BRT is most effective when it travels along major expressways to and from a rail transit (LRT, subway) station(s).

It is least effective in central downtown areas, but the auto/oil industry keeps plowing ahead the misinformation that it doesn't make a difference.

The same thing for rail transit...once it enters a congested downtown area, it is best to make it go underground, or elevated, or to have a separate ROW for the train.

[zevasthian]

Now the big project should be to convert this busses into ELECTRICAL or SOLAR. We r on the right track, but is not the ultimate solution. There is more and more to do.

God Bless Bogota.

[adrianvill]

weee! i hope CEbu city will impliment this soon!

[redjie123]

very very soon!!! they are now studying stage!

[punishedbydeth]

BRT is a joke.

[Ma3Hu1]

actually it's not, it really helped in those cities and helps redusing CO2 emissions since one vehicle can transport more passengers at once. However I belive it's a cheap provisional solution which will disappear in some 15 to 20 years :)

[zevasthian]

can you tell us why is it going to disappear in 20 years? I think every system should become obsolete eventually. Just think about horses, trolley (wich by the way was a mistake since they were electrical)etc. Is the nature of development (or bad judgement, greed, etc) I would appretiate your answer.

[zevasthian]

Is not for a country city like Bogota, where they refused to built a multi billion highway structure oriented to serve a small portion of the population (the rich who can afford cars) and was intended to left behind the majority, the poor. This system was ten times cheaper than the highways and offered a real solution in terms of enviromental issues and the money they saved was invested in other social and urban development projects.

[Ma3Hu1]

And the only disadvantage of a railroad is the investment costs.Nothing more than that!And if you see how government and private companies invest their money in Bogotá (well,in whole Colombia also)in doubtful projects,you'll realize that the argument "We have no money" is just sickening hypocrisy. All in all I think governments in Latin America never think in long terms.They always need a quick solution just to make sure that they regret it some years later...and it goes on and on...

[zevasthian]

U might think is a joke but if you educate urself about it is not

[punishedbydeth]

but the short term gains just don't outweigh the long term losses

[alterbta]

viva bogotá

[vimalgahlot]

nice to see

[marleyjay01]

we need this in big cities.

[ReyGilliano]

we need this so bad in the philippines

[redjie123]

very soon in CEBU, philippines

[ReyGilliano]

We need this in philippines!!!! badly!!!

[ReyGilliano]

We need this so badly in th Philippines