[sustran] Re: sustran-discuss V1 #200

[HARIAS]

> Date sent:      Wed, 22 Apr 1998 02:00:35 +0900 (JST)
> From:           owner-sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org (sustran-discuss)
> To:             sustran-discuss-digest at jca.ax.apc.org
> Subject:        sustran-discuss V1 #200
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> 
> sustran-discuss       Wednesday, April 22 1998       Volume 01 : Number 200
> 
> 
> 
> In this issue:
> 
>     Re: [sustran] Bicycles - Improving the image
>     [sustran] Questions for people who have been to Japan
>     [sustran] Adopt a Jeepney?
>     Re: [sustran] city bikes/free bikes
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 15:29:56 +0000
> From: remonde at gsilink.com
> Subject: Re: [sustran] Bicycles - Improving the image
> 
> I am from Denmark but have resided in the Philippines since 1992, 
> first in Metro Manila, now in Cebu City.
> 
> I agree that jeepneys are a very convenient mode of transportation. 
> It's very flexible, it's easy to get in and out, and they are 
> everywhere. However, more should be done to discipline drivers and 
> passengers. The jeepneys disburb others with their swirling from lane to 
> lane and dropping off/taking up of passengers on every corner. It 
> can't hurt passengers to learn to get on/off on designated bus stops. 
> Jeepney drivers, on the other hand, should understand that by 
> swirling, they make life difficult for their jeepney driver 
> colleagues.
> 
> In Cebu, many jeepneys are smoke belchers. We'll soon (hopefully) be 
> launching a small project. We call it the Adopt a Jeepney for a 
> Cleaner Cebu Project. This takes into consideration that most jeepney 
> operators (60%) own only 1 or 2 jeepneys. Their capital is not 
> sufficient to have the jeepney overhauled and the oil changed. 
> Therefore the smoke belching. We're hoping that private business and 
> civic organizations will "adopt" a jeepney, that is, provide small 
> subsidies (maybe P2000/year or US$50) to poor jeepney operators. In 
> the end, everybody should benefit. And we'll have a cleaner city.
> 
> Warmest regards,
> Marit Stinus-Remonde
> Cebu Environmental Initiatives for Development Center, Inc.
> 
> 
> >  >Problem here is that once on the jitneys, people will want to
> >  >stay on them to their final destination. People hate to transfer,
> >  >and I don't blame them. It's an incredible waste of time. So
> >  >you end up with Manila, where the streets are mobbed by jitneys.
> > 
> > I am from Manila and I LOVE jeepneys (as we call them). I use them
> > most of the time, and prefer them to buses. I don't consider them
> > problems at all -- they're an efficient public transport mode.
> > 
> > Obet Verzola
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 17:41:03 +0900
> From: Taiichi INOUE <t4-inoue at nri.co.jp>
> Subject: [sustran] Questions for people who have been to Japan
> 
> Dear,
> 
> Now I have a research project. Its purpose is to clear the information
> needs when people are traveling in urban area. Our interest is focused on
> the information concerning transportation. I have some basic questions for
> people who have been to Japan. I'd be happy if you answer my questions.
> 
> *When and where have you been to in Japan? Ex. Tokyo, Yokohama
   Kitakyushu and Tokyo
> 
> *Where are you from?
   Philippines> 

> *Have you ever felt that you had been difficult to get the information
> concerning transportation in these cities?
   No. It is amazing to find that even buses arrive very much on time 
at each designated stops. The subway trains are also very efficient.
Drivers are also courteous and give priority to pedestrians.    

From: Helen Arias
      Department of Energy

> If your answer is yes, please go on.
> *What were these information which you wanted?
> 
> *Why did you think it was difficult? One of the main reasons was that many
> characters or signs were shown only in Japanese language. I understand this
> situation well, so I'd like to know your opinions except this matter.
> 
> Think globally, Act locally.
> 
>  Consultant
>  Taiichi Inoue
>   Transport & Logistics System Strategy.
>   Nomura Research Institute,Ltd.
>   2-2-1,Ootemachi,Chiyoda-ku,
>   Tokyo 100,JAPAN
>   tel +81-3-5203-0806 fax +81-3-5203-0810
>   Website  http://www.nri.co.jp/
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 10:28:51 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Eric Bruun <ebruun at rci.rutgers.edu>
> Subject: [sustran] Adopt a Jeepney?
> 
> Are jeepneys really so marginal to operate that owners can
> not afford to tune their vehicles?  Or is it that no one
> is forcing them to do so?  Eric
> 
> 
> On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 remonde at gsilink.com wrote:
> 
> > I am from Denmark but have resided in the Philippines since 1992, 
> > first in Metro Manila, now in Cebu City.
> > 
> > I agree that jeepneys are a very convenient mode of transportation. 
> > It's very flexible, it's easy to get in and out, and they are 
> > everywhere. However, more should be done to discipline drivers and 
> > passengers. The jeepneys disburb others with their swirling from lane to 
> > lane and dropping off/taking up of passengers on every corner. It 
> > can't hurt passengers to learn to get on/off on designated bus stops. 
> > Jeepney drivers, on the other hand, should understand that by 
> > swirling, they make life difficult for their jeepney driver 
> > colleagues.
> > 
> > In Cebu, many jeepneys are smoke belchers. We'll soon (hopefully) be 
> > launching a small project. We call it the Adopt a Jeepney for a 
> > Cleaner Cebu Project. This takes into consideration that most jeepney 
> > operators (60%) own only 1 or 2 jeepneys. Their capital is not 
> > sufficient to have the jeepney overhauled and the oil changed. 
> > Therefore the smoke belching. We're hoping that private business and 
> > civic organizations will "adopt" a jeepney, that is, provide small 
> > subsidies (maybe P2000/year or US$50) to poor jeepney operators. In 
> > the end, everybody should benefit. And we'll have a cleaner city.
> > 
> > Warmest regards,
> > Marit Stinus-Remonde
> > Cebu Environmental Initiatives for Development Center, Inc.
> > 
> > 
> > >  >Problem here is that once on the jitneys, people will want to
> > >  >stay on them to their final destination. People hate to transfer,
> > >  >and I don't blame them. It's an incredible waste of time. So
> > >  >you end up with Manila, where the streets are mobbed by jitneys.
> > > 
> > > I am from Manila and I LOVE jeepneys (as we call them). I use them
> > > most of the time, and prefer them to buses. I don't consider them
> > > problems at all -- they're an efficient public transport mode.
> > > 
> > > Obet Verzola
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 07:24:07 -0700
> From: Todd Litman <litman at IslandNet.com>
> Subject: Re: [sustran] city bikes/free bikes
> 
> At 12:34 PM 4/20/98 -0700, Heath Maddox wrote:
> >
> >I am a cyclist and grad student in transportation planning at UC Berkeley.
> >I  am currently researching community "free" bicycle programs.   Most
> >information I have  come across has been anecdotal and not very in-depth  I
> >have been in contact with a few individual sustrans people on this topic,
> >but since it came up in general discussion anyway, I thought I'd put out a
> >wider call  for help..  Is there any hard data or analysis of such programs
> >out there anywhere?  If not, more anecdotal information, contact info. or
> >internet links would also be helpful. Thank you very much,
> 
> Here is a website for Seattle's yellowbike program:
> http://www.yellowbike.com. I haven't looked at it, so I don't know what
> information it contains. I have not heard of any serious analysis of these
> programs in terms of evaluating their transportation/social benefits.
> 
> Let me report on my personal experience. We had a program when I lived in
> Olympia, Washington a few years ago, in which a team of volunteers fixed up
> both children's and adult's bicycles which were donated to families that
> could use them through the local refugee center. Recipients also recieved
> helmets, safety instruction and help with repairs. All of the feedback we
> heard was very positive; the bicycles were highly valued by recipents and
> well cared for, and people involved in the program got lots of positive
> appreciation. I consider this program to be extremely successful in terms
> of both supporting alternative transportation and helping people.
> 
> Here in Victoria, BC we have a "blue bike" program, in which volunteers fix
> up donated bicycles, paint them blue, and leave them around town for people
> to use. 17 bikes have been fixed up so far. I occasionally see them used,
> often rather dangerously, but almost as often I see them damaged and
> abandoned, sometimes obviously destroyed as a lark (such as the one that
> ended up in a tree). I suspect that the prople running this program spend
> as much additional miles of driving tracking and repairing these bicycles
> as the bicycles save in reduced automobile use.
> 
> As much as I support alternative bicycling as a form of transportation and
> would like to see bicycles conveniently available, I don't think that a
> free bike program is an effective way to do it. Resources that are given
> away are often treated as having no value. I believe that the bikes are
> much better given to individuals who would otherwise not be able to afford
> a bicycle, along with the help they need to bicycle safely.
> 
> If that isn't enough, I think that donated bicycles could be fixed up and
> rented for a nominal amount through some organization (college recreation
> centers, homeless shelters, YMCAs, refugee centers, etc.) by the hour, day
> or week, to allow people mobility, for example when visiting another
> neighborhood or city. Although many bike shops rent bicycles, these tend to
> be relatively expensive and the service is often not well advertised.
> 
> A final bit of advice. There are LOTS of old bicycles sitting in basements
> and garages, and if you put out a call for donations you are almost
> guaranteed to get more than you need. However, most of these donations are
> junk, and you will almost certainly end up carting a lot to the dump. I
> suggest being very specific and selective about what types of bicycles you
> accept for donation, particularly if your sotrage space is limited.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Todd Litman, Director
> Victoria Transport Policy Institute
> "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
> 1250 Rudlin Street
> Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada
> Phone & Fax: 250-360-1560
> E-mail:      litman at islandnet.com
> Website:     www.islandnet.com/~litman
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of sustran-discuss V1 #200
> ******************************
> 
>