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How would buses contribute to the problem? Assuming every person who takes the bus would otherwise drive, a single bus would wipe out dozens of cars on the road
by tabeth 8y ago
How would buses contribute to the problem? Assuming every person who takes the bus would otherwise drive, a single bus would wipe out dozens of cars on the roads.
- chrisseaton 8y ago> Assuming every person who takes the bus would otherwise drive This assumption is where the problem is. For example, Google employees live in central San Francisco but commute to work in Mountain View because a bus service was added. They wouldn't be attempting that commute in a car in the first place. These busses have added to traffic, not reduced it.
- tabeth 8y agoSure, but how would they get to work if there were no buses? A fraction of them would drive, no? Buses are a net positive.
- chrisseaton 8y agoMaybe they would live in Mountain View and walk, so not creating any new traffic at all? Or live somewhere on the train line and take a train? If none of those people would drive instead, or even if only a couple of them would, then the massive bus is a negative.
- tabeth 8y agoA bus is about 2 to 3 times as long as a car. Unless you're assuming these buses would only have a single passenger, no, they are not a negative. And even if all of these people lived in walking distance of where they worked, the places they've now vacated would be occupied with people who may drive, and so forth. The imaginary world you're supposing does not exist, hence the article we're discussing to begin with.
- aeontech 8y ago> They wouldn't be attempting that commute in a car in the first place. I think that's an unfounded assumption. I know plenty of people who do in fact drive daily from SF or Oakland down to MV/SJ.
- chrisseaton 8y ago> I think that's an unfounded assumption Well so was the original assumption!
- aeontech 8y agoThe original assumption is supported by the fact that the buses could only be introduced because a large enough number of people was _already_ driving. I doubt any company started an empty shuttle line to use as a recruiting tool. They must have sufficient number of people with that commute already in the population for the economics to make any sense.
- wil421 8y agoI have more confidence in people riding light rail than taking a bus. From what I’ve read about SF, private busses funded by big tech companies are already an issue.