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What’s the Utility of a Train/Bus Hybrid?
Two different readers forwarded me links to this train/bus hybrid vehicle being introduced by JR Hokkaido. On of them was Adron, who blogged about it at his site. So it seems to me that we now have a variety of design choices for transit system, divided along several dimensions: Dedicated right-of-way (e.g., LRT, BRT) versus…
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New Years Resolution for Streetcar: Fare Policy
On January 1, Portland Streetcar will roll out a new fare policy: Streetcar tickets will be good all day. We’ve discussed the perception that a 1-2 zone fare for a few stops on the Streetcar outside fareless square is a tough value proposition. This move is intended to help that issue. At a minimum you’ll…
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Freight to Double in 30 Years
As reported in the Daily Journal of Commerce, a new study from the Port of Portland predicts that freight volumes will double in 30 years. Just to keep things in perspective, Metro’s projections show that even with increased truck freight, trucks will still be a single-digit percentage of vehicles on the road. Let’s not take…
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TriMet Kudos from the City on the Bay
SPUR, a civic/planning organization in San Franciso has recently recognized TriMet’s Productivity Improvement Program (PIP), and urged their local transit agency to undertake a similar program. Hat tip to reader Garlynn Woodsong for the link.
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Freight and the Environment
Metro has recently produced an interesting little document by the title “Profile of the Regional Freight Transportation System.” The Daily Journal of Commerce has a brief piece today on the trends this report discusses. Unfortunately it’s still in draft form and therefore not on Metro’s web site. I’ll be sure to post a link when…