[lrt's friend]

This is a more complicated issue than it appears on the surface.

I believe that it is inevitable that some passengers will have to stand during peak periods, but how many is too many? Our Transitway bus routes are already very crowded at times.

Obviously, transit vehicle loading does impact the bottom line. Full buses or trains lower operating costs per passenger.

On the other hand, passengers who are forced to stand for long distances every day will become turned off of transit. In other words, too much crowding will drive away transit riders.

We do have a rather captive market downtown. Office workers also face parking shortages and high parking costs and therefore will put up with a rather unpleasant transit experience. If we make it too unpleasant, these same people will refuse to use transit for other voluntary trips.

Even the downtown market is not entirely captive. Those making voluntary trips for shopping or entertainment will simply not make the trip or go elsewhere if transit provides too bad of an experience. Parking is also not an issue outside of regular office hours.

Outside of downtown, where parking is free and more abundant, most transit trips are voluntary and therefore standing will make transit much less attractive.

What do you think is more important? Lowering costs per passenger? Keeping transit crowding to a minimum? What is a good balance?

[jeremy_haak]

This is a more complicated issue than it appears on the surface.

I believe that it is inevitable that some passengers will have to stand during peak periods, but how many is too many? Our Transitway bus routes are already very crowded at times.

Obviously, transit vehicle loading does impact the bottom line. Full buses or trains lower operating costs per passenger.

On the other hand, passengers who are forced to stand for long distances every day will become turned off of transit. In other words, too much crowding will drive away transit riders.

We do have a rather captive market downtown. Office workers also face parking shortages and high parking costs and therefore will put up with a rather unpleasant transit experience. If we make it too unpleasant, these same people will refuse to use transit for other voluntary trips.

Even the downtown market is not entirely captive. Those making voluntary trips for shopping or entertainment will simply not make the trip or go elsewhere if transit provides too bad of an experience. Parking is also not an issue outside of regular office hours.

Outside of downtown, where parking is free and more abundant, most transit trips are voluntary and therefore standing will make transit much less attractive.

What do you think is more important? Lowering costs per passenger? Keeping transit crowding to a minimum? What is a good balance?

Personally I don't mind standing on the bus, though I obviously prefer sitting. The problem with seats is two-fold. First, people are reluctant to sit adjacent to a stranger, and two, they can get in the way when there is only standing room. Grand River Transit decided to maximize the seating on their new bus orders, and they are a disaster for the busy routes they're operating on now, since there is barely enough room in the aisle for a person to stand, and when the bus is full, it takes a significant effort to extract the passengers at their stop. Just drop the number of seats and allow more standing room. It's far more efficient, and would also lower wait time at stops.

[harls]

In the morning, transit is fine for me because I'm near the beginning of the route and I always have a seat. On the way home, however, I usually take a crowded bus and stand the entire length of the trip. That turns me off, but what can you do?

As for voluntary trips, I don't think I would ever do that. Maybe for things like Bluesfest or Winterlude.

[Ottawade]

Recently I'm adjusting my travel times home to avoid the busy buses. One of the reasons I like the bus over driving is that it provides me with some much desired time to do a bit of reading. However, when I'm standing that doesn't happen. I can deal with it, but then again my travel distance is short (< 20 minutes)