Thursday, March 02, 2006
How to Make a Failed Light-Rail Line Seem Successful
First, cancel all the express buses that compete with the light-rail line.
Second, reroute all the nearby bus lines that go to the same downtown destination as the light-rail line to a light-rail station instead, thus forcing bus passengers to transfer to the light rail.
Finally, cut back rail service from six times per hour to only four times per hour to make the trains seem especially crowded.
My reviews of rail transit lines, such as this one (download the Excel spreadsheet), regularly find that Portland has some of the highest numbers of passengers per rail car of any light-rail system in the country. Now we know why!
Second, reroute all the nearby bus lines that go to the same downtown destination as the light-rail line to a light-rail station instead, thus forcing bus passengers to transfer to the light rail.
Finally, cut back rail service from six times per hour to only four times per hour to make the trains seem especially crowded.
My reviews of rail transit lines, such as this one (download the Excel spreadsheet), regularly find that Portland has some of the highest numbers of passengers per rail car of any light-rail system in the country. Now we know why!
