[sustran] Re: Information on 'Bike Taxi'

[Craig Townsend]

Dear Hung,

I'm not sure who "we" is, but in my opinion there is a need for more 
research on of motorcycles in cities of the developing world and 
particularly Asia. There appears to be a need for comparable data on the 
"the real conditions" of the costs of motorcycles in comparison to all 
modes and to their role and how public policies could be designed to 
mitigate the costs while expanding the benefits. On a more practical level, 
funding will be required. As Jonathan suggests, there is unlikely to be 
interest from national or city governments so it would probably have to be 
research funding in conjunction with a university or an international 
organization. Personally, I doubt I will pursue this further, but I hope 
that someone out there may run with it.

Obviously, if PMs or Cabinet ministers have personal financial stakes in 
automobile or road-building industries or oil companies, it is unlikely 
they are going to adopt policies that would slow the growth in motor 
vehicles and the consumption of fuel. In that case, maybe lobbying for 
conflict of interest legislation and exposing the business dealings of the 
powerful to the media would be a better use of the resources of those of us 
seeking urban transport systems which promote the well-being of the 
less-advantaged and the low status people. This will be a big challenge in 
developing cities such as Bangkok where very few have very much, but it is 
also an ongoing challenge in the cities of the industrialized world.

Craig


At 10:21 AM 25/08/2004, you wrote:
>Dear Craig,
>1. I did also the full cost comparision between MC and Bus in teh Hanoi and
>HCM City Bus project. I understand that the Bus has some advatanges on this
>evaluation. However, We have to think on a real conditions of the Hanoi or
>Bangkok environment. Then I agree with you that the decision makers in VN
>and Thailand are lack of the vision as the Singaporean ones.
>So, what should we do?