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Old Posted May 4, 2011, 2:53 PM
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MichaelS MichaelS is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker View Post
5 operators at all times, minimum. Specialty training required etc. 5 operators at all times is a ton of bus capacity. A crazy amount. Cheaper and quicker only compared to some sort of rail service. Plus I doubt local residents would be very happy about constantly moving public transport with sight lines into their back yards.

It is more expensive than bus service because it provides much more service than would otherwise be provided, and that costs money. If you were going to provide that service if you didn't build the gondola system that would be different. But we don't. And I doubt we ever would.

Comparing something to an ultimate implementation of a automated people mover will likely show gondolas is cheaper, but we would never build a people mover so the comparison is pointless.



Zero local emissions.



I doubt five buses are continually prowling around serving the local destinations on this route (Lions--> Foothills--> Childrens'--> University Main Campus --> Brentwood) that could be removed if a service such as proposed exist. It is only cheaper it you are replacing something.
I think you are over-complicating the operation of these. Most ski hills operate them without great difficulty or expense, I don't think these would be much different, and therefore not a huge cost. Probably easier to operate a gondola than to drive a large bus through traffic.

Also, there will be very little residential that this will be travelling over, maybe a bit in the community of University Heights but that is it (based on the route they are proposing). It is very similar to route 91 already:
http://www.calgarytransit.com/route_maps/rte091.html

Based on the schedule for route 91, we are already operating 3-4 buses an hour on this route, slightly more during the peak times:
http://tripplanning2.calgarytransit.com/hiwire

I think once the up front capital cost is taken care of, this gondola line will operate for the same amount, if not less, yet be far more effective and move a much larger amount of people.
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