[sustran] towards smart public bus transport solutions

[Muralidhar Rao]

Perhaps the drive by the centre to make cities smarter will finally get
people thinking along such solutions for public bus transport services -

http://praja.in/en/~bangalore/blog/murali772/2009/04/24/petition-cm-end-bmtcksrtc-monopoly#comment-36417

Muralidhar Rao




On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 4:47 PM, <sustran-discuss-request at list.jca.apc.org>
wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. VTPI Newsletter - Summer 2014 (Todd Litman)
>    2. Traffic pyramid - a discussion for Colombian urban        transport
>       policy (Carlosfelipe Pardo)
>    3. SUTP Newsletter: Issue 04/14 ? JULY - AUGUST,    2014
>       (sutp at sutp.org)
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Todd Litman <litman at vtpi.org>
> To: Todd Alexander Litman <litman at vtpi.org>
> Cc:
> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 22:20:56 -0700
> Subject: [sustran] VTPI Newsletter - Summer 2014
>                    -----------
>
>                  VTPI NEWS
>
>                     -----------
>
>               Victoria Transport Policy Institute
>
>               "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
>
>               -------------------------------------
>
>               Late Summer 2014    Vol. 14, No. 3
>
>               -----------------------------------
>
> The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research
> organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transportation
> problems. The VTPI website (http://www.vtpi.org ) has many resources
> addressing a wide range of transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also
> provides consulting services.
>
>                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>
> NEW VTPI DOCUMENTS
>
> ====================
>
> "Evaluating Household Chauffeuring Burdens: Understanding Direct and
> Indirect Costs of Transporting Non-Drivers"
> (http://www.vtpi.org/chauffeuring.pdf )
>
> Household chauffeuring refers to personal motor vehicle travel specifically
> made to transport independent non-drivers (people who could travel on their
> own if they had suitable travel options). This additional vehicle travel
> imposes various direct and indirect costs. This paper identifies factors
> that affect the amount of chauffeuring that occurs in a community. It
> develops a Chauffeuring Burden Index which can be used to quantify
> chauffeuring costs and therefore the savings and benefits of transport
> improvements that reduce chauffeuring burdens. This analysis indicates that
> in automobile dependent communities, chauffeuring costs often exceed
> congestion costs. Motorists often benefit from improved transport options
> which reduce their chauffeuring burdens, even if they do not use those
> options themselves.
>
>
>
> PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE
>
> ===================
>
> "Evaluating Public Transportation Local Funding Options"
> (http://tinyurl.com/okj4fn9 ).
>
> This article, published in the Journal of Public Transportation, evaluates
> 18 potential local public transportation funding options according to eight
> criteria. This is a somewhat larger set of options and more detailed and
> systematic evaluation than most previous studies. This study dis­covered no
> new options that are particularly cost-effective and easy to implement;
> each
> has disadvantages and constraints. As a result, its overall conclusion is
> that a variety of funding options should be used to help finance the local
> share of public transit improvements to ensure stability and distribute
> costs broadly.
>
>
>
> "How Transport Pricing Reforms Can Increase Road Safety"
> (http://www.vtpi.org/TIT-pricesafety.pdf ), TrafficInfraTech
> (www.trafficinfratech.com ), April-May 2014, pp. 68-71.
>
> This article investigates the traffic safety impacts of transportation
> pricing reforms, including higher fuel taxes, efficient road tolls and
> parking fees, distance-based pricing, and reduced transit fares. Research
> described in this report indicates that these reforms tend to reduce
> accident rates, but this benefit is often overlooked: pricing reform
> advocates seldom highlight traffic safety benefits and traffic safety
> experts seldom advocate pricing reforms. More comprehensive analysis of
> safety benefits can increase support for transport pricing reforms.
>
>
>
> "Multi-Modal School Transportation Planning: Part 1 and Part 2"
> (http://www.acefacilities.org/interactivelessons ), American Clearinghouse
> on Educational Facilities, by Todd Litman. These interactive lesson plans
> explore why and how to improve school walking and cycling access, and how
> to
> evaluate these benefits and communicate them to school decision-makers.
>
>
>
> "Testing The Housing And Transportation Affordability Index In A Developing
> World Context: A Sustainability Comparison Of Central And Suburban
> Districts
> In Qom, Iran" (http://tinyurl.com/lf84oy9 ), by Ali A. Isalou, Todd Litman
> and Behzad Shahmoradi.
>
> Housing affordability is an important policy goal. However, housing is not
> truly affordable if located in an inaccessible area with high
> transportation
> costs. In recent years researchers have developed analysis methods for
> measuring total housing and transportation costs for different locations
> within cities, called a Housing and Transportation (H+T) Affordability
> Index. This article, published in 'Transport Policy,' applies this analysis
> in Qom City, Iran. The results indicate that suburban-area households spend
> more than 57% of their income on housing and transport, significantly more
> than the 45% spent by central district households. This illustrates the
> feasibility of applying housing and transportation affordability analysis
> in
> developing country cities to help identify truly affordable and sustainable
> development.
>
>
>
> “Evaluation of the Affordability Level of State-Sector Housing Built in
> Iran: Case Study of the Maskan-e-Mehr Project in Zanjan City,” Journal of
> Urban Planning and Development, Vol. 140
> (http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000235 ), by Ali A Isalou,
> Todd Litman, Kayoumars Irandoost and Behzad Shahmoradi.
>
> This research uses a Housing and Transportation Affordability Index to
> evaluate overall affordability for lower-income households in Zanjan City,
> Iran. The study found that in automobile-dependent urban fringe locations,
> 71% of the families’ income is spent on housing and transportation
> combined,
> much higher than the 45% considered affordable.
>
> "Congestion May Signify Better Productivity, Not Worse. Paradox: Planners
> Concentrate On Mobility, But Access To Places You Need To Be Is The Real
> Test" (http://tinyurl.com/qevvs8x )
>
> This newspaper article by reporter Don Cayo summarizes research in "The
> Mobility-Productivity Paradox: Exploring The Negative Relationships Between
> Mobility and Economic Productivity" on surprising relationships between
> mobility and economic development ((http://t.co/yBHc7ClUte ).
>
>
>
> "Paradox: Congestion May Signify Better Accessibility and Economic
> Productivity" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/69933 ). Although transport
> planners consider traffic congestion economically harmful, economic
> productivity tends to increase with congestion and decline with increased
> road supply. This paradox can be explained by more nuanced analysis of
> accessibility.
>
>
>
> “Can a city ever be traffic jam-free?”
> (http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140611-can-we-ever-end-traffic-jams ).
>
> This BBC article investigates various ways to reduce traffic congestion.
> Although it focuses primarily on technical solutions, it quotes Todd Litman
> concerning planning reforms that improve space-efficient modes and
> encourage
> their use.
>
>
>
> Recent Planetizen Blogs (http://www.planetizen.com/blog/2394 ):
>
> "Introducing the Litman 'Chauffeuring Burden Index'"
> (http://www.planetizen.com/node/71030 )
>
> "What is a 'House'? Critiquing the Demographia International Housing
> Affordability Survey" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/70829 )
>
> "More Great Research Quantifying Smart Growth Benefits"
> (http://www.planetizen.com/node/70261 )
>
> "Is Traffic Speed Compliance A Congestion Cost?"
> (http://www.planetizen.com/node/69378 )
>
> "Responding to Transit Funding Criticism"
> (http://www.planetizen.com/node/69020 )
>
>
>
> Let’s be friends. Todd Litman regularly posts on his Facebook page
> (http://www.facebook.com/todd.litman ). Befriend him now!
>
>                  *    *    *    *    *
>
>
>
> BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
>
> =======================
>
> "How and Why To Encourage More Efficient Transportation In Brazilian
> Cities"
> presented 3 September, São Paulo, Brazil, by the Instituto de Energia e
> Meio
> Ambiente (http://www.energiaeambiente.org.br ).
>
> Here is a local newspaper article: "Comfort Driver to Take Public
> Transportation: For Canadian expert, the user must have ‘sense of dignity’
> on a bus." (http://tinyurl.com/l7t7tnm ). For more information on their
> innovative policies see, "New São Paulo Master Plan Promotes Sustainable
> Growth, Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide" (http://tinyurl.com/pzunaq6
> )
>
>
>
> "Implementing Transit Oriented Development in Indian Cities - Learnings and
> Challenges" (http://tinyurl.com/mqc74y2 ), 7 August, Embarq India
> (www.embarqindia.org ).
>
> Transit Oriented Development (TOD) results in the creation of compact,
> walkable and liveable communities with access to amenities built around
> high
> quality mass transit stations. This webinar discussed how to implement TOD
> in Indian cities.
>
>
>
> "Moving to the Future: Envisioning Better Public Transit for Central
> Oregon"
> (http://tinyurl.com/mykz2ay ). This presentation for the Central Oregon
> Intergovernmental Council (http://coic2.org ) is part of a program to
> create
> a strategic vision for public transit development in that region.
>
>
>
> The following two papers were presented at the North American Travel
> Monitoring Exposition and Conference (http://tinyurl.com/n93xnz6 ), held
> July 2014 in Chicago, Illinois:
>
>
>
> "Toward More Comprehensive and Multimodal Transportation Performance
> Evaluation" (http://www.vtpi.org/comp_evaluation.pdf ). This presentation
> described ways to make transportation planning evaluation more
> comprehensive
> and multi-modal. Conventional transport planning is mobility-based, it
> assumes that the planning objective is to maximize travel speed, and
> evaluates transport system performance based primarily on motor vehicle
> travel conditions. A new paradigm recognizes that the ultimate goal of most
> transport activity is accessibility, which refers to people’s overall
> ability to reach desired services and activities. This new paradigm applies
> more comprehensive and multi-modal evaluation which expands the range of
> modes, objectives, impacts and options considered in the planning process.
>
>
>
> "Valuing and Improving Transportation-Related Data Programs: Report from
> 2013 TRB Sessions" (http://www.vtpi.org/TRB_data.pdf ). This presentation
> summarized the findings of 2013 Transportation Research Board Annual
> Meeting
> sessions on valuing and improving transportation-related data programs
> (programs that collect basic data used for transport policy, planning and
> research). It discusses the business case for expanding and improving data
> programs, puts data program costs into perspective with transport
> expenditures and economic impacts, describes examples of the data needed to
> address various transport planning issues, gives examples of existing
> transport data programs, describes problems and threats, discusses who
> should lead in data program strategic development, summarizes best
> practices, and provides conclusions and recommendations.
>
>                  *    *    *    *    *
>
>
>
> UPCOMING EVENTS
>
> ==================
>
> 2014 Integrated Conference of Better Air Quality and Environmentally
> Sustainable Transport in Asia, 19-21 November, Colombo, Sri Lanka
> (http://baq2014est.org ).
>
> Todd Litman will present an overview presentation and report at this
> Conference which bring together a thousand policymakers, technical experts,
> practitioners and industry leaders from around the region to identify
> policies and strategies to improve transport, economic development and
> environmental quality. Mr. Litman will be available for additional events
> in
> the region before or after this Conference – contact him below if you have
> suggestions.
>
>
>
> Transportation for Sustainability –International Conference
> (http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/169154.aspx ), 7-8 May 2015, Washington,
> D.C.
>
> This conference will explore transportation and sustainability issues. The
> program will include technical discussions on sustainable practices and
> interactive sustainability problem-solving, and feature a plenary session
> that will likely include senior level policy makers, corporate executives,
> and leading subject matter experts. Submit presentation and poster
> abstracts
> by October 15, 2014.
>
>                  *    *    *    *    *
>
>
>
> USEFUL RESOURCES
>
> =================
>
> "Family-Friendly Cities"
> (http://daily.sightline.org/blog_series/family-friendly-cities ). This
> Sightline series explores ways to create more child-friendly cities,
> including affordable housing sized for families, supportive zoning laws,
> central city public schools, streets that are safe for unsteady toddlers,
> buses that accommodate strollers, and communal spaces for parents and their
> kids.
>
>
>
> "Istanbul: An Accessable City – A City For People"
> (http://tinyurl.com/kycj5n2 ). Istanbul’s Historic district is a UNESCO
> World Heritage Site with unique cultural features and extraordinary beauty,
> a major tourist destination and home to tens of thousands of residents.
> However, it currently suffers from poor walking, cycling and public transit
> infrastructure, excessive automobile traffic and parked cars filling its
> ancient streets. This study by Gehl Architects for EMBARQ Turkey provides
> detailed analysis of current conditions and specific recommendations for
> creating a more livable, sustainable, and economically successful city. It
> is a beautiful document which could serve as a model for community planning
> in other cities.
>
>
>
> "Multimodal System Design Guidelines" (http://tinyurl.com/np85v86 ). This
> new resource by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
> provides guidance on Multimodal System Planning and identifies various
> design practices that help create corridors, neighborhoods and regions with
> diverse transport options.
>
>
>
> "Suburban Sprawl And Bad Transit Can Crush Opportunity For The Poor"
> (http://tinyurl.com/nzn48ty ). This article by Danielle Kurtzleben
> summarizes research indicating that improving public transit and more
> accessible community design tends to improve economic opportunities for
> disadvantaged residents.
>
>
>
> "URBNAFUL" (http://urbanful.org ). Part magazine, part marketplace, this
> website highlights great things happening in cities, and various design,
> technology and culture innovations that are changing how we live.
>
> "Next Stop Health: Transit Access and Health Inequities in Toronto"
> (http://tinyurl.com/kyzq3xc ). This report examines the health impacts of
> inadequate mobility options for physically and economically disadvantaged
> populations, disparities in public transit availability and affordability,
> and strategies to improve public transit access for lower-income residents
> in Toronto.
>
>
>
> "The Happy Commuter: A Comparison Of Commuter Satisfaction Across Modes"
> (http://tinyurl.com/otzkrvl ). This study investigates factors that affect
> commuter satisfaction. It finds that pedestrians, train commuters and
> cyclists are significantly more satisfied than drivers, metro and bus
> users.
>
>
>
>
> "Mayor of London’s Roads Task Force" (http://tinyurl.com/kkwnh8z ). This
> Task Force produced technical resources for designing and managing London’s
> streets to balance various economic, social and environmental goals, and an
> evaluation process to measure progress.
>
>
>
> "Cost-Benefit Analysis of Rural and Small Urban Transit"
> (http://tinyurl.com/mkgxpvo ). This study by the Upper Great Plains
> Transportation Institute provides a framework for evaluating the benefits
> of
> small urban and rural public transit systems. It uses sensitivity analysis
> to identify how these benefits vary if key variables are changed. The
> results indicate that, considering all impacts, rural and small town
> transit
> services often provide benefits that significantly exceed their costs.
>
>
>
> "Effect of Light-Rail Transit on Traffic in a Travel Corridor"
> (http://otrec.us/project/611 ). This study investigated the impacts Salt
> Lake City's University TRAX light-rail system. It found that after the LRT
> service began, traffic volumes on parallel roads declined significantly,
> providing reductions in traffic congestion, fuel consumption and pollution,
> and saved the University of Utah $23.6 million in avoided parking facility
> costs.
>
>
>
> "Trends in Transit-Oriented Development 2000–2010"
> (http://tinyurl.com/kwycc4p ) This study quantifies the growth in TODs in
> the U.S., analyzes the types of households residing there, and the impacts
> that TOD location has on household's travel activity.
>
>
>
> "Why Creating And Preserving Affordable Homes Near Transit Is A Highly
> Effective Climate Protection Strategy (http://tinyurl.com/pnf7u86 ). This
> study used detailed travel survey data to measure how demographic,
> geographic and economic factors affect household travel activity. It
> indicates that all households, particularly those with lower-incomes, tend
> to reduce vehicle ownership, travel and fuel consumption if located in
> transit-oriented neighborhoods.
>
>
>
> The Australian Bicycle Council (http://bicyclecouncil.com.au/research )
> many
> excellent technical publications on bicycle planning and evaluation
> methods.
>
>
>
> "Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program: Continued Progress in
> Developing
> Walking and Bicycling Networks – May 2014 Report"
> (http://tinyurl.com/qyxcpb7 ). This report summarizes the impacts of the
> Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP). The four pilot
> communities
> experienced a 23% increase in walking trips and a 48% increase in bicycling
> trips, which reduced 85 million vehicle-miles traveled.
>
>
>
> "Practical Guidebook: Parking and Travel Demand Management Policies in
> Latin
> America" (http://tinyurl.com/jwuxelm ). This guidebook, produced by the
> Inter-American Development Bank evaluates numerous examples of parking and
> transportation demand management policies throughout the world, and their
> feasibility for implementation in Latin American cities.
>
>
>
> "SFpark Program Evaluation"
> (http://sfpark.org/about-the-project/pilot-evaluation ). San Francisco is
> testing more efficient on-street parking pricing, with higher rates at
> times
> and locations with congested parking. This evaluation indicates that these
> reforms reduced average parking rates, improved parking availability and
> motorists convenience, and reduced vehicle miles travelled and pollution
> emissions.
>
>
>
> "Performance Data for Comparing the World's Cities"
> (http://tinyurl.com/mhu9sn9 ). International standard “ISO 37120” defines
> 46
> indicators for evaluating urban performance, including several related to
> urban transport and land use planning.
>
>
>
> "The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate"
> (http://newclimateeconomy.net ) is a major new international initiative to
> provide independent and authoritative evidence on actions which can
> strengthen economic performance and reduce climate change risks. It will
> report in September 2014.
>
>
>
> "Fuel Price Policies Readling List, 2001-2014" (http://tinyurl.com/nd5h7sd
> ). This publication provides annotated references to various publications
> concerning fuel price policy analysis and reforms.
>
>
>
> "Climate-Smart Development: Adding Up The Benefits Of Actions That Help
> Build Prosperity, End Poverty And Combat Climate Change" (
> <http://tinyurl.com/lgr75hl> http://tinyurl.com/lgr75hl ). This World Bank
> study evaluates the economic and social benefits of various climate change
> emission reduction strategies, and estimates their potential benefits if
> they were scaled up and applied worldwide. It concludes that these policies
> could reduce approximately 10% of the energy-related emission reductions
> necessary to achieve global emission reduction targets with a net savings
> of
> $169 per tonne.
>
>
>
> Metromile (https://www.metromile.com ) now offers pay-as-you-drive vehicle
> insurance, which bases insurance premiums directly on the amount a vehicle
> is driven each year, and so provides a substantial new incentive to reduce
> mileage.
>
> "The Future of Driving in Developing Countries" (
> http://tinyurl.com/pwulza2
> ) and "Grow, Peak Or Plateau - The Outlook For Car Travel"
> (http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/23277 ). These studies investigate various
> demographic and economic factors that affect future motor vehicle ownership
> and use. The analysis indicates that vehicle travel demand is reaching
> natural saturation levels in many countries.
>
>
>
> "Walk the Walk Literally" (http://youtu.be/24NvQKnfNfI ). This TEDxCairo
> Talk by Tarek Rakha, PhD Candidate, Department of Architecture,
> Massachusetts Institute of Technology discusses the importance of efficient
> and multi-modal transportation planning, particularly designing complete
> streets in developing country cities. He also emphasizes the need for
> geographically- and culturally-responsive planning. (Turn on the "Caption"
> button if you don’t speak Arabic). Well done, Tarek!
>
>                  *    *    *    *    *
>
>
>
> Please let us know if you have comments or questions about any information
> in this newsletter, or if you would like to be removed from our email list.
> And please pass this newsletter on to others who may find it useful.
>
>
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Todd Litman (litman at vtpi.org)
>
> Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org)
>
> Office: 250-360-1560 | Mobile: 250-508-5150
>
> 1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA
>
>      Efficiency - Equity - Clarity
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Carlosfelipe Pardo <pardo at despacio.org>
> To: Sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
> Cc:
> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 08:03:05 -0300
> Subject: [sustran] Traffic pyramid - a discussion for Colombian urban
> transport policy
> Hi,
>
> We (various Colombian "transport people") are in the process of supporting
> the Colombian Ministry of Transport in formulating a new national urban
> transport policy. To date, the policy had only been formulated for public
> transport (this is why we have 8 BRTs etc etc funded up to 70% by National
> government) but the aim is to include Non motorized transport and travel
> demand management measures as part of a broader policy. This is a pretty
> good opportunity to improve things, especially since many Colombian cities
> cannot get national funding for NMT improvements because there is no law to
> support such funding (this is a big problem for small cities that have
> short trips and no infrastructure for cycling nor money to build it, for
> example).
>
> However, we have come to a discussion where some of us propose that non
> motorized transport should have priority over other modes, and others
> strongly reject that idea because they say (and I quote) that "*public
> transport is the ONLY mode that youth, old, men and women, abled and
> disabled, rich and poor can use, and is therefore the mode that is
> accessible to all*" (caps in original!). I for one find this a bit
> troubling and do not think that it should be an assumption of a national
> policy of urban transport that tries to include more modes... am I wrong,
> did I understand the traffic pyramid differently from what I should?
>
> I feel that I am pretty alone in this battle (Colombia is a very pro-public
> transport country, but not-so when it comes to cycling as a national
> policy). I would very much appreciate if anyone can *send along arguments
> and hard data that can support that cycling is also very accessible and
> should be a prioritary mode*, not just in traffic crossings but in policy.
> Otherwise, we'll just have a transport policy that is the same as before.
>
> Thanks for any support on this!!
>
> --
> Carlosfelipe Pardo | Director Ejecutivo | despacio
> pardo at despacio.org
> Tel: (+571) 2484420  / Cel (+573) 21 343 3727
> despacio.org
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: sutp at sutp.org
> To: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org, cai-asia at lists.worldbank.org,
> sutpasia at googlegroups.com
> Cc:
> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 11:14:37 +0000
> Subject: [sustran] SUTP Newsletter: Issue 04/14 – JULY - AUGUST, 2014
> Dear All,
> Please find the attached document containing GIZ-SUTP Newsletter for the
> month of July-August, 2014.
> Best Wishes,
> SUTP-Team
>
>
>
> ================================================================
> SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred,
> equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries
> (the 'Global South').
>
> TO search the archives, please go to
> http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss
>