{"items": [{"author": "Robbie", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869511182", "anchor": "fb-772869511182", "service": "fb", "text": "Why do buses have to stop and open their doors at railroad crossings?", "timestamp": "1456521483"}, {"author": "Jonah", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869511182&reply_comment_id=772869640922", "anchor": "fb-772869511182_772869640922", "service": "fb", "text": "→ To listen for oncoming trains.", "timestamp": "1456521597"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869511182&reply_comment_id=772869695812", "anchor": "fb-772869511182_772869695812", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Apparently it was in reaction to a crash during a blizzard where visibility was basically zero: http://www.deseretnews.com/.../Bus-crash-in-1938-led-to...", "timestamp": "1456521624"}, {"author": "Jim", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869511182&reply_comment_id=836109452832", "anchor": "fb-772869511182_836109452832", "service": "fb", "text": "→ We can also thank Bill:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I'm_Just_a_Bill", "timestamp": "1483542437"}, {"author": "Bil", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869511182&reply_comment_id=836166718072", "anchor": "fb-772869511182_836166718072", "service": "fb", "text": "→ If there's a train coming down the track, the bus has to open the door to let it through.", "timestamp": "1483562637"}, {"author": "Ben", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869690822", "anchor": "fb-772869690822", "service": "fb", "text": "Perhaps give the drivers amphetamines - more aggressive driving and risk taking may lead to faster travel time. Additionally, the lapses in concentration will lead to fewer stops (which is fine, as we will be leaving the bus doors open). We'll need to make sure that they have a full supply for each shift, so as to avoid coming down while on a route. http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/.../how-do-amphetamine...", "timestamp": "1456521620"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869690822&reply_comment_id=772869785632", "anchor": "fb-772869690822_772869785632", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Buses driving by your stop without slowing down seems pretty likely to put people off riding buses, even if it only happens rarely.", "timestamp": "1456521675"}, {"author": "Ben", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869690822&reply_comment_id=772870274652", "anchor": "fb-772869690822_772870274652", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Good point - should be restricted to city to city bus lines", "timestamp": "1456522055"}, {"author": "Vince", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869690822&reply_comment_id=772870603992", "anchor": "fb-772869690822_772870603992", "service": "fb", "text": "→ The Methabus.", "timestamp": "1456522268"}, {"author": "Buck", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869780642", "anchor": "fb-772869780642", "service": "fb", "text": "This is a brilliant idea; great job Jeff.", "timestamp": "1456521671"}, {"author": "Ross", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622", "anchor": "fb-772869790622", "service": "fb", "text": "> Leave (city) bus doors open...
...might plausibly *decrease* ridership. Market research would be required.", "timestamp": "1456521675"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772869840522", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772869840522", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Because of noise? Or the expectation that you should just jump on and off?", "timestamp": "1456521702"}, {"author": "Ross", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772869925352", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772869925352", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Noise.", "timestamp": "1456521770"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772869980242", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772869980242", "service": "fb", "text": "→ What about push buttons, on the inside and outside, allowing a passenger to open the door?", "timestamp": "1456521822"}, {"author": "Adam", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772870239722", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772870239722", "service": "fb", "text": "→ The open back doors of the old Routemasters were pretty popular.", "timestamp": "1456522034"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772870918362", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772870918362", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Adam: I have a vague impression that new london buses also have the open back? Or are they just inspired by the old Routemaster styling?", "timestamp": "1456522535"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772873069052", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772873069052", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Old Routemaster: https://upload.wikimedia.org/.../7e/Heritage_Routemaster.jpg", "timestamp": "1456523873"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772873158872", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772873158872", "service": "fb", "text": "→ And new one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Routemaster...", "timestamp": "1456523944"}, {"author": "Ross", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772873213762", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772873213762", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Huh. #til.", "timestamp": "1456523970"}, {"author": "Alexander", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869790622&reply_comment_id=772973647492", "anchor": "fb-772869790622_772973647492", "service": "fb", "text": "→ The new ones generally have their back doors closed except at when all the doors open at stops. They only open if there's a conductor there, which is rare.", "timestamp": "1456604209"}, {"author": "Jonah", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869865472", "anchor": "fb-772869865472", "service": "fb", "text": "I need to hang out with your brain more.", "timestamp": "1456521711"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772869865472&reply_comment_id=772869905392", "anchor": "fb-772869865472_772869905392", "service": "fb", "text": "→ http://www.jefftk.com/p/index", "timestamp": "1456521761"}, {"author": "Chris", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772870234732", "anchor": "fb-772870234732", "service": "fb", "text": "Very interesting.", "timestamp": "1456522019"}, {"author": "Ruthan", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772870643912", "anchor": "fb-772870643912", "service": "fb", "text": "Buses with highway routes drive on the shoulder around here! It seems like a great idea but I've never been on one that's done it and don't know how I would feel about it -- our shoulders all have rumble strips O.o", "timestamp": "1456522318"}, {"author": "Frederic", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772870688822", "anchor": "fb-772870688822", "service": "fb", "text": "I think your 0th step has to be to change the US legal system. With the possible exception of the railroad crossing rule, this is going to lead to more injuries and therefore more lawsuits.", "timestamp": "1456522351"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772870688822&reply_comment_id=772871048102", "anchor": "fb-772870688822_772871048102", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Makes sense to me!", "timestamp": "1456522602"}, {"author": "Chris", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772870688822&reply_comment_id=772872395402", "anchor": "fb-772870688822_772872395402", "service": "fb", "text": "→ This is a good point. When I drive, there's no one to sue.", "timestamp": "1456523674"}, {"author": "Phillip", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772870688822&reply_comment_id=772873488212", "anchor": "fb-772870688822_772873488212", "service": "fb", "text": "→ \bUnfortunately it is more of a cultural change to admit that there are risks in everyday life, and that falling victim to those risks is not some sort of winning lottery ticket.\b", "timestamp": "1456524214"}, {"author": "Rio", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772873428332", "anchor": "fb-772873428332", "service": "fb", "text": "In Zurich buses have their own preferential traffic system that allows them to change the lights on regular vehicle traffic lights in order for them to navigate quickly and in a timely fashion. And they obviously had their own lanes.", "timestamp": "1456524134"}, {"author": "Ben", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772873428332&reply_comment_id=772873508172", "anchor": "fb-772873428332_772873508172", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Wow, that's awesome (and kind of hilarious).", "timestamp": "1456524230"}, {"author": "BDan", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772873428332&reply_comment_id=772875853472", "anchor": "fb-772873428332_772875853472", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Yes, it's called Transit Signal Priority. It wouldn't be hard to add in many places in the U.S., which already have the infrastructure in place for emergency services -- just need to add it to the buses.", "timestamp": "1456525806"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772873428332&reply_comment_id=772880623912", "anchor": "fb-772873428332_772880623912", "service": "fb", "text": "→ The most recent round of participatory budgeting in Cambridge allocated funding to add signal priority for the portion of the 1 in Cambridge. If that goes well, we can push to expand to other lines.", "timestamp": "1456528689"}, {"author": "Robert", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875479222", "anchor": "fb-772875479222", "service": "fb", "text": "The factor of 67 (7.28 vs. 0.11) is for *passengers on the bus*. In part, this is surely because in a crash between a bus and car, the far smaller car takes much more damage resulting in more fatalities.
Deaths from buses should concern us just as much as deaths on buses, and a lot of these proposals seem likely to increase the former.
(Also, it's not clear to me that faster buses would substantially decrease car ridership, but it's certainly plausible.)", "timestamp": "1456525450"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875479222&reply_comment_id=772881741672", "anchor": "fb-772875479222_772881741672", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Ken Livingstone made a lot of changes in London to make the buses faster, and I think it did significantly increase ridership, though it's hard to tell because he also made other improvements.", "timestamp": "1456529348"}, {"author": "Linchuan", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875479222&reply_comment_id=836043769462", "anchor": "fb-772875479222_836043769462", "service": "fb", "text": "→ If your unit of analysis is individuals and not vehicles, this becomes much less of a problem.", "timestamp": "1483522972"}, {"author": "Laura", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282", "anchor": "fb-772875948282", "service": "fb", "text": "When I take my car instead of a bus, it's not because the bus DRIVES slower... it's because it takes an inefficient route to get there, or it doesn't get there and I have to take two buses. I think that is the problem engineers would need to solve to actually decrease car ridership.", "timestamp": "1456526008"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=772881407342", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_772881407342", "service": "fb", "text": "→ It looks to me like what matters is overall time, door to door. Faster moving buses decrease this time, especially on intercity routes, so if expect that to help. It's not going to be enough to handle all cases, like the ones where the route isn't a good fit, there are two many stops, or there are bad transfers, but I'd expect it to shift trips on the margin.", "timestamp": "1456529125"}, {"author": "Laura", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=772881472212", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_772881472212", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Unless the bus can travel 100+ mph, if routes don't change, a car is still faster to get me 99 percent of the places I need to go.", "timestamp": "1456529181"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=772881527102", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_772881527102", "service": "fb", "text": "→ It sounds like you're not the marginal bus rider!", "timestamp": "1456529221"}, {"author": "Laura", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=772881616922", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_772881616922", "service": "fb", "text": "→ I don't know what you mean by that", "timestamp": "1456529251"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=772881666822", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_772881666822", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Laura, parking can take time. Certainly in London, there are trips to the shops that are faster by bus than any car could take you.", "timestamp": "1456529289"}, {"author": "Laura", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=772881726702", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_772881726702", "service": "fb", "text": "→ I don't live in London... but yeah, parking is usually the reason I take the bus/train if I do. Most of the places I go don't fall into that category, though.", "timestamp": "1456529332"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=772883163822", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_772883163822", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Laura: \"I don't know what you mean by that\"
If we put everyone on a continuum based on how likely they are to use the bus, with a threshold representing whether you do actually take the bus, the marginal riders would be the ones near the threshold. I take public transit for most trips; if public transit got 10% slower I would still take it. It sounds to me like you take the car most of the time, and if the bus got 10% faster you would still drive. So neither of us are near the threshold. But there are people who find themselves close to spit between the bus and car, and for those (marginal) people I do think an increase in bus speed is going to make a difference.
One way to see this, is that when you make buses faster you do see increases in ridership.", "timestamp": "1456530558"}, {"author": "Angela", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=773012399832", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_773012399832", "service": "fb", "text": "→ No, I agree with Laura. I think the common deciding factor is bus route. Even when trip duration is a factor, the 20+ minutes you could spend waiting for the bus to arrive outweighs any potential incremental increase in speed from less-safe driving.", "timestamp": "1456621644"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=773013093442", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_773013093442", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Angela: Real-time predictions do a lot to reduce waiting time. At this point I rarely wait more than 2min at a stop unless it's a transfer.", "timestamp": "1456622363"}, {"author": "Angela", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=773013253122", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_773013253122", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Waiting at the stop is only part of the problem. If I need to get to my dentist's office in time for my appointment, the app helps me not stand in the rain at the bus stop for more than 2 min, but it doesn't help with the fact that the bus still isn't arriving until 15 minutes after I was ready to leave, which will make me 10 minutes late for my appointment because I got distracted and didn't get ready to leave early.", "timestamp": "1456622550"}, {"author": "Rob", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772875948282&reply_comment_id=836273534012", "anchor": "fb-772875948282_836273534012", "service": "fb", "text": "→ If there were a lot more buses (which could then be smaller) then bus routes could be more direct, but then we'd need more bus drivers, which would be costly. How about self-driving buses...?", "timestamp": "1483609181"}, {"author": "Andy", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772876656862", "anchor": "fb-772876656862", "service": "fb", "text": "Shifting significant amounts of trips from cars to other modes like buses would have huge positive effects, including in safety. Speeding buses is a proven way to increase ridership. You can do that in many ways, which include dedicated lanes, signal priority, all-door boarding, level boarding (you don't have to step up to get onto the bus), fare pre-payment and/or proof of payment, allowing curb travel on congested highways where there aren't congested lanes, etc. More frequent service also makes buses far more appealing. What stands in the way of implementing many of these in Boston and elsewhere is the political will to do them. (Faster speed limits are unlikely to help much, since most buses are largely limited by congestion; if Boston-area express buses were able to go the posted speed limit on eg I-93 and I-90 that would already be a huge improvement.)", "timestamp": "1456526386"}, {"author": "Andy", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772877844482", "anchor": "fb-772877844482", "service": "fb", "text": "I should add, if you're interested in working on things like this in the Boston area, please get involved with TransitMatters.", "timestamp": "1456526915"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881502152", "anchor": "fb-772881502152", "service": "fb", "text": "The old British Routemaster bus had a permanent opening at the back instead of a door; they were done away with because of the moderate risk and because they were totally inaccessible for wheelchair users. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Routemaster...", "timestamp": "1456529192"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881502152&reply_comment_id=772882904342", "anchor": "fb-772881502152_772882904342", "service": "fb", "text": "→ I think the new routemaster has a rear opening again: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Routemaster
There's a door, though.", "timestamp": "1456530326"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881502152&reply_comment_id=772887644842", "anchor": "fb-772881502152_772887644842", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Don't get me started on the new Routemaster...", "timestamp": "1456533137"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881502152&reply_comment_id=772889915292", "anchor": "fb-772881502152_772889915292", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Paul: I'm happy to read a rant!", "timestamp": "1456534475"}, {"author": "Tomer", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881502152&reply_comment_id=772954470922", "anchor": "fb-772881502152_772954470922", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Jeff: pointless vanity project. http://www.theguardian.com/.../new-routemaster-old-london...", "timestamp": "1456591184"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881502152&reply_comment_id=772955468922", "anchor": "fb-772881502152_772955468922", "service": "fb", "text": "→ It looks like the new routemaster was supposed to be \"hop on hop off\" but they've abandoned this: http://www.theguardian.com/.../boriss-bus-a-political...", "timestamp": "1456591770"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881502152&reply_comment_id=772960793252", "anchor": "fb-772881502152_772960793252", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Ken may be an Islamist-loving nut in lots of ways, but he cared deeply about the technical nuts and bots of getting London moving and worked incredibly hard. Boris cares about winning elections and getting his face on the telly. Boris replacing Ken was a tragedy for London.", "timestamp": "1456595859"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881542072", "anchor": "fb-772881542072", "service": "fb", "text": "The other thing they did in London to make the buses go faster is banning cash fares altogether. You can only board a bus with a prepaid contactless Oyster card, or a contactless credit/debit card.", "timestamp": "1456529234"}, {"author": "Gordon", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881542072&reply_comment_id=772893128852", "anchor": "fb-772881542072_772893128852", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Does that still work for (would-be) riders who are poor and may be relying exclusively on cash and/or have other inconveniences in the way of getting such a card? Even if it does in London, I would despair of it working in the USA.", "timestamp": "1456536924"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881542072&reply_comment_id=772893248612", "anchor": "fb-772881542072_772893248612", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Before they abolished it altogether, they made cash fares more expensive than Oyster fares. I suspect that poor people overall benefited from abolishing cash fares altogether.", "timestamp": "1456536986"}, {"author": "Sam", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772881542072&reply_comment_id=772909041962", "anchor": "fb-772881542072_772909041962", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Pretty sure you can buy an Oyster card with cash, so no problem there.", "timestamp": "1456545564"}, {"author": "Sam", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302", "anchor": "fb-772928333302", "service": "fb", "text": "To add another complicating factor, speed benefits would have to be compatible with schedule reliability. No one wants to miss the bus because it got to their stop 10 min early and left right away to gain the greatest route-speed possible. That's why a lot of the comment suggestions look more promising to me than the original post ideas. Dedicated lanes for buses make them faster and more regular. Unfortunately for Jeff, they probably also make them safer...", "timestamp": "1456566764"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302&reply_comment_id=772949795292", "anchor": "fb-772928333302_772949795292", "service": "fb", "text": "→ This seems like a problem if we're talking about additional speed that also increases variability, but if anything I see these changes decreasing variability:
* Opening the door at railroad crossings just adds several seconds to every crossing, so no variability impact.
* Starting off while someone is still paying decreases variability, since it decreases the time impact of picking someone up.
* Letting buses drive on the shoulder mostly decreases variability, since the bus is less vulnerable to traffic, but could increase it if it's common for the shoulder to get blocked.
* Higher speed limits probably increase variability a bit, since you won't always be able to safely drive the full speed.
* Leaving doors open for people to get on/off on their own should decrease variability since more people can just get on/off at traffic lights without affecting the bus's speed.
In addition, buses around here generally only have a fixed time that they leave their initial stop, and everything after that doesn't have a designated time. And the buses have transponders, so you can have a very good idea of when the bus will arrive.", "timestamp": "1456587754"}, {"author": "Sam", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302&reply_comment_id=772975588602", "anchor": "fb-772928333302_772975588602", "service": "fb", "text": "→ You're right - I mostly just had the higher speed limit in mind.", "timestamp": "1456605488"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302&reply_comment_id=773007794062", "anchor": "fb-772928333302_773007794062", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Just run a service so frequent people aren't pushed about timetables, and publish real-time estimates online.", "timestamp": "1456617580"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302&reply_comment_id=773009405832", "anchor": "fb-772928333302_773009405832", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Paul: That's pretty expensive!", "timestamp": "1456619277"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302&reply_comment_id=773009555532", "anchor": "fb-772928333302_773009555532", "service": "fb", "text": "→ True. Lots of London buses work this way though!", "timestamp": "1456619442"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302&reply_comment_id=773012195242", "anchor": "fb-772928333302_773012195242", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Paul: And some Boston ones too. But it's in a different category along with extra lanes and signal priority; my suggestions are all \"free\" rule changes.", "timestamp": "1456621462"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302&reply_comment_id=773012958712", "anchor": "fb-772928333302_773012958712", "service": "fb", "text": "→ It's possible that high arrival variability might be more acceptable even in low frequency routes given good real-time estimates, but that's not really free cos you have to write good software, including a decent mobile-accessible website.", "timestamp": "1456622090"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772928333302&reply_comment_id=773012983662", "anchor": "fb-772928333302_773012983662", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Paul: At least in Boston's case, though, we already gave good real-time predictions with good websites (and dumbphone support via SMS).", "timestamp": "1456622156"}, {"author": "Mel", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772946172552", "anchor": "fb-772946172552", "service": "fb", "text": "Rachel Fichtenbaum, here's a transit themed thread for your birthday!", "timestamp": "1456585165"}, {"author": "Sarah", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772967499812", "anchor": "fb-772967499812", "service": "fb", "text": "Though it would demand more major changes by the city, I think a separate bus lane would be best for optimizing speed and safety -- at least on main arteries. E.g. Mass Ave or Broadway in Camberville. The buses are constantly weaving in and out of gridlock traffic (and into the bike lane, I will add). Having a separate lane (essentially an HOV, but on the right) would allow buses to travel quickly and more efficiently than the saturated personal car lanes, and give them the margin of time to stop safely and allow passengers to board and exit.
From personal experience, I have found bus drivers to be most aggressive toward bikes, because they are expected to keep to a tight schedule despite terrible traffic, and to share the same space (and obviously, bus > bike when there's a conflict of who gets the lane). If buses were able to navigate in a space dedicated only to other public buses (and maybe access vehicles) and bicycles, it might simplify their maneuvering and cull the road rage some. (you hear me, boston?)", "timestamp": "1456600198"}, {"author": "Sarah", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772968233342", "anchor": "fb-772968233342", "service": "fb", "text": "Additionally, I have loved living in places where the dense knots of city squares and centers are bus/train/pedestrian/cycle only. Parking and driving personal vehicles in such hectic areas is (or at least feels; I got no data but there must be some?) super unsafe. Those who are driving are routed around (again, a pain to reconstruct the infrastructure at first, I admit) and the city centers are more pedestrian friendly and more efficient for bus and bike.", "timestamp": "1456600439"}, {"author": "Andy", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552", "anchor": "fb-772998567552", "service": "fb", "text": "Completely agree Sarah that bus-bike lanes would be great, including on Mass Ave in Boston & Cambridge. I haven't read it yet, but if you want 150+ pages on bus-bike lanes, http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/77937.pdf is there for you. The intuition is that even an extremely high volume bus corridor has a great deal of available physical space, some of which can be used by bicycles. See also http://amateurplanner.blogspot.com/.../road-width-vs-road... on the allocation of roadway space versus the number of people moved.", "timestamp": "1456612654"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552&reply_comment_id=773009535572", "anchor": "fb-772998567552_773009535572", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Stuart:", "timestamp": "1456619405"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552&reply_comment_id=773009545552", "anchor": "fb-772998567552_773009545552", "service": "fb", "text": "→ (The lane is wide enough for both at once.)", "timestamp": "1456619421"}, {"author": "Andy", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552&reply_comment_id=773012993642", "anchor": "fb-772998567552_773012993642", "service": "fb", "text": "→ See this video for a bunch of practicalities - it's aimed at bike riders and bus drivers https://vimeo.com/7949969", "timestamp": "1456622174"}, {"author": "Andy", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552&reply_comment_id=773013188252", "anchor": "fb-772998567552_773013188252", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Stuart Guertin - agreed, wider lanes lead to higher speeds, which are strongly correlated with eg much higher fatality rates for pedestrians struck by vehicles (with a quick search I found https://www.aaafoundation.org/.../2011PedestrianRiskVsSpe..., which says \"The average risk of death for a pedestrian reaches 10% at an impact speed of 23 mph, 25% at 32 mph, 50% at 42 mph, 75% at 50 mph, and 90% at 58 mph\". That's put out by AAA, which seems unlikely to over-state death rates, given that it's a car-related organization.", "timestamp": "1456622462"}, {"author": "David Chudzicki", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552&reply_comment_id=773024550482", "anchor": "fb-772998567552_773024550482", "service": "fb", "text": "→ It's relatively rare for a bus to go faster than a bike anyway, right? You'd need to be on a big fast street with few stops.", "timestamp": "1456627408"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552&reply_comment_id=773026611352", "anchor": "fb-772998567552_773026611352", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @David: I'd expect buses and bikes to constantly be overtaking each other. Similar average speeds, very different speed profiles.", "timestamp": "1456628442"}, {"author": "David Chudzicki", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552&reply_comment_id=773026860852", "anchor": "fb-772998567552_773026860852", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Having trouble finding details online, but I don't remember being passed much by buses either here or in SF/Oakland. But I guess it doesn't really matter - biking needs to be safe even for bikers going very slow.", "timestamp": "1456628696"}, {"author": "Gillian", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=772998567552&reply_comment_id=773121835522", "anchor": "fb-772998567552_773121835522", "service": "fb", "text": "→ ...in the shared bike/bus lane, why is the bike in between the bus and the curb? In my experience in Boston/Camberville, most bike commuters bike slightly slower than a bus's top speed, but significantly faster than the average speed (if a bus is hitting most of the stops), which means that if there's an option to do so (eg Mass ave) I always travel on the left side of the bus. The only reason I can imagine to have the bike line on the right is to ease right turns, which happen less frequently than bus stops, and require slowing down/stopping anyways.", "timestamp": "1456691492"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773013397832", "anchor": "fb-773013397832", "service": "fb", "text": "I don't care about transit time. I tend to avoid buses because:
1) The heat is either on or off. The driver cannot adjust heat. In the Winter they are nauseatingly hot (usually in the morning) or freezing (usually in the evening). I tend to bike in warmer weather, so I don't know what happens with the air-conditioning.
2) A lack of shelter at stops, especially outside of the city. Nothing like waiting in freezing rain for a bus that is a half-hour or more late.
So I suspect that if you want to increase ridership, make waiting for and riding the bus more pleasant, and make them more reliable.", "timestamp": "1456622600"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773013397832&reply_comment_id=773013851922", "anchor": "fb-773013397832_773013851922", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Don't need faster, just more busses running closer together.", "timestamp": "1456622824"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773013397832&reply_comment_id=773014400822", "anchor": "fb-773013397832_773014400822", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @David: \"Don't need faster, just more busses running closer together.\"
If there are free things that make buses move faster, this gets you more frequent service without needing to buy/staff more buses.
(I also think we should generally fund more frequent bus service, but that feels like a separate discussion.)", "timestamp": "1456623232"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773013397832&reply_comment_id=773014834952", "anchor": "fb-773013397832_773014834952", "service": "fb", "text": "→ I disagree with what you propose.
- Large vehicles moving at speeds that differ greatly from other traffic is not safe. You are safe on the bus, but others are not.
- Shoulders generally are not wide enough for busses.
- Drivers already start moving while people are paying unless they need to make change, so no gain there.", "timestamp": "1456623603"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773013397832&reply_comment_id=773018053502", "anchor": "fb-773013397832_773018053502", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @David: \"Drivers already start moving while people are paying unless they need to make change\"
That's currently illegal, and many drivers won't do it.", "timestamp": "1456625008"}, {"author": "David Chudzicki", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773013397832&reply_comment_id=773024345892", "anchor": "fb-773013397832_773024345892", "service": "fb", "text": "→ I found it to be pretty typical in SF/Oakland, and was happy they did.", "timestamp": "1456627237"}, {"author": "Ryan", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773013397832&reply_comment_id=773255737182", "anchor": "fb-773013397832_773255737182", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Jeff Kaufman Is moving while riders are paying illegal at a state level or a Federal one, because they do this with some regularity in DC/suburbs of DC as well.", "timestamp": "1456770426"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773013397832&reply_comment_id=773259389862", "anchor": "fb-773013397832_773259389862", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Ryan: Federal. The bus probably has a sign like \"federal law prohibits operation of this vehicle while passengers are forward of the yellow line\".", "timestamp": "1456772858"}, {"author": "Christopher", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=773069949502", "anchor": "fb-773069949502", "service": "fb", "text": "If/when we get public/private cooperation on driverless single-passenger swarms of electric transport pods, this will all be moot. Passengers will call a drone in the same manner as an uber gets called today.
Enough swarm drones will exist to meet peak demand, and during low periods they will return to out-of-the-way warehouses for storage, recharge, and maintenance. On-street parking in the city will be abolished, opening up extra lanes and getting rid of people driving around looking for parking, as well as opening up city centers to become pedestrian friendly.
With an average smaller vehicle and better reaction time, drones can travel at higher speeds and closer to each other. And urban areas will price control to ensure that the monopolies don't gouge prices.", "timestamp": "1456671029"}, {"author": "David Chudzicki", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=775376167822", "anchor": "fb-775376167822", "service": "fb", "text": "Cool, you got picked up by Tyler Cowen! http://marginalrevolution.com/.../make-buses-more...", "timestamp": "1458128895"}, {"author": "Michael", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=775381611912", "anchor": "fb-775381611912", "service": "fb", "text": "#2 and #5 are true for the busses in Valpara\u00edso. In fact, for them it is \"allow the driver to start while there are 3 people who haven't paid, one of whom is hanging out the door.\" Add to this a lack of suspension and curvy roads. :)", "timestamp": "1458134505"}, {"author": "Tristan", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=775381611912&reply_comment_id=776157781462", "anchor": "fb-775381611912_776157781462", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Also the case here in Chicago. If you are the last one on I hope you have good balance because you are going to be paying while accelerating.", "timestamp": "1458515835"}, {"author": "Anne", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=775759759102", "anchor": "fb-775759759102", "service": "fb", "text": "Take the outside walls off. People would use the hell out of the grab bars and hang straps, I promise you.", "timestamp": "1458322804"}, {"author": "David Chudzicki", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=775759759102&reply_comment_id=788352982182", "anchor": "fb-775759759102_788352982182", "service": "fb", "text": "→ That's a good one.", "timestamp": "1464114981"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=775759759102&reply_comment_id=788353386372", "anchor": "fb-775759759102_788353386372", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Many trolley cars used to be open. In addition to getting to enjoy the outside and the breeze you get extra seats by removing the center aisle.", "timestamp": "1464115146"}, {"author": "Edward", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=788491928732", "anchor": "fb-788491928732", "service": "fb", "text": "I want to echo Sam's point about schedule. In Edinburgh the buses are almost unimaginably better than in Cambridge/Somerville. They are much more frequent, and there are more routes, which is the key so everywhere I want to go in the city I can go by bus from 6am to 11pm. Also the buses are cleaner and larger. But the traffic signal priority and the idea of having buses go faster are both cool.", "timestamp": "1464170715"}, {"author": "Christian", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=836089577662", "anchor": "fb-836089577662", "service": "fb", "text": "Higher speed limits seem to me to be the most promising intervention. It might be possible to win a referendum for it.", "timestamp": "1483529096"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=836089577662&reply_comment_id=836096448892", "anchor": "fb-836089577662_836096448892", "service": "fb", "text": "→ I actually think the railroad crossing one is probably the easiest to make progress on, since it makes no sense.", "timestamp": "1483533454"}, {"author": "Christian", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=836089577662&reply_comment_id=836142137332", "anchor": "fb-836089577662_836142137332", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Berlin the city in which I'm living doesn't seem to have the railroad crossing issue, so I didn't focus on it. Here there are bridges for rails going over roads.", "timestamp": "1483555633"}, {"author": "John", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=836128270122", "anchor": "fb-836128270122", "service": "fb", "text": "Another bus slow-down thing on the MBTA is that at each stop people get off through the front door thus postponing riders from getting on. Then since the busses accept cash which takes a long time to insert, Charlie Tickets (paper tickets that often have to be fed several times) and Charlie Cards (electronic cards) it takes a long time to board. I was impressed that in Melbourne, Australia the busses and trams had doors that were wide enough for two people to board at once and there was a Myky card scanner on both sides - similarly for the rear door.", "timestamp": "1483549934"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=836128270122&reply_comment_id=836133868902", "anchor": "fb-836128270122_836133868902", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Making this more tricky, I belive getting off at the front door is faster if no one is getting on (because the driver can more easily be sure you're out of the way before closing the door and driving off) but slower if people are getting on (because you're in the way).", "timestamp": "1483552281"}, {"author": "Andy", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=836128270122&reply_comment_id=836144018562", "anchor": "fb-836128270122_836144018562", "service": "fb", "text": "→ MBTA plans to replace CharlieCard with a new system they're calling AFC 2.0 (AFC = Automated Fare Collection). When they do that, it will be more possible for them to do all-door boarding and no cash payments on board. See eg http://www.mbta.com/.../Board_Meetings/AFC20_7-18-FMCB.PDF for details.", "timestamp": "1483556490"}, {"author": "Robert", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=836128270122&reply_comment_id=836177571322", "anchor": "fb-836128270122_836177571322", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Andy: Looks nice, but despite what they say I doubt this will be implemented in my lifetime. (I'm not young.)", "timestamp": "1483567458"}, {"author": "Accalia", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542", "anchor": "fb-850981294542", "service": "fb", "text": "\"Leave (city) bus doors open, allow people to get on and off at any time at their own risk\"
Soon. Soooon we will have a world as #aesthetic as https://youtu.be/ag2juFF4Y0Y
More seriously (though this is a \"yes, but\" nitpick), I would worry about the risk to pedestrians. If I want to take the risk of jumping off a moving bus, that's my choice; if I collide with someone else who was walking along the sidewalk and did not expect a person to leap out the bus at speed right at that moment, that's somewhat less so. I don't know how big that risk is but I do pretty often come very close to colliding with people whenever I rapidly transfer to the pavement because some driver on the road is making me feel nervous about getting hit. (I ride a kick scooter.)", "timestamp": "1488217104"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542&reply_comment_id=889493725322", "anchor": "fb-850981294542_889493725322", "service": "fb", "text": "→ My impression is that in places where this is common people generally get on/off only when the bus is stopped in traffic or at a light, or is moving *very* slowly.", "timestamp": "1500845870"}, {"author": "Andrew", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542&reply_comment_id=889497133492", "anchor": "fb-850981294542_889497133492", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Jeff Kaufman -- London buses used to have open rear platforms as recently as the late 90s. It worked fine, I didn't hear of anyone dying...
http://www.australiaforeveryone.com.au/.../Heritage...", "timestamp": "1500847195"}, {"author": "Andrew", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542&reply_comment_id=889497318122", "anchor": "fb-850981294542_889497318122", "service": "fb", "text": "→ BTW - I've never heard of a city bus having to stop and open its doors at a level crossing, only a school bus. I certainly don't remember rural/suburban buses in NJ doing that.", "timestamp": "1500847258"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542&reply_comment_id=889510182342", "anchor": "fb-850981294542_889510182342", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Andrew: the MBTA buses here in Boston definitely do", "timestamp": "1500850546"}, {"author": "Sarah", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542&reply_comment_id=889762511672", "anchor": "fb-850981294542_889762511672", "service": "fb", "text": "→ I live near a level crossing: yeah, every single T bus stops and opens its doors. Mainly notable because I get off at the next stop and the door opening clears the \"stop requested\" so I have to remember to hit the request strip/button after the crossing. Might be an MA law, though.
As a reverse commuter and first-ring suburb rider, more frequent service and evening/weekend service levels are the things that would make my life much better. Sure, the new apps will show me where the buses are (usually -- they're consistently really inaccurate for one of the routes I take even though others are fine), but that doesn't mean I don't have to wait a half-hour because that's when the next bus is coming -- all it means is that I can perhaps wait inside a business and slip out in time to make the bus rather than standing at the stop.", "timestamp": "1500951449"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542&reply_comment_id=889821987482", "anchor": "fb-850981294542_889821987482", "service": "fb", "text": "→ @Sarah: \"all it means is that I can perhaps wait inside a business and slip out in time to make the bus rather than standing at the stop\"
The value of the predictions definitely varies a lot between areas and between people. Three examples of how it's helpful for me:
* There's infrequent service between my dad's house and mine, but waiting at either house is definitely better than waiting at the stop.
* Sometimes I'm in an area with dense bus service and want to get on the next of several buses, and again the predictions help with that a lot.
* In some cases I would use a rideshare, and predictions help me figure out whether to do this. This is useful even if there's infrequent service, unless the service is so infrequent it's not worth even checking.", "timestamp": "1500987119"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542&reply_comment_id=889830136152", "anchor": "fb-850981294542_889830136152", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Followup post: http://www.jefftk.com/p/buses-and-railroad-crossings", "timestamp": "1500989810"}, {"author": "Andrew", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=850981294542&reply_comment_id=889831693032", "anchor": "fb-850981294542_889831693032", "service": "fb", "text": "→ this law looks to be antiquated, probably written before electric crossing gates were common", "timestamp": "1500990281"}, {"author": "Anna", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=889837187022", "anchor": "fb-889837187022", "service": "fb", "text": "As a person who gets motion sick, and most severely on buses, I've often wondered if there's a way to design buses that would make people less motion sick. I don't know what percentage of the population is affected like I am, but I will do a lot to avoid taking buses because it's so unpleasant, and it seems plausible that there'd be a way to engineer buses to be less lurch-y.", "timestamp": "1500992179"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=889837187022&reply_comment_id=889839128132", "anchor": "fb-889837187022_889839128132", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Putting them on grade-separated rails could work.", "timestamp": "1500992772"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=889837187022&reply_comment_id=889839452482", "anchor": "fb-889837187022_889839452482", "service": "fb", "text": "→ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O-Bahn_Busway", "timestamp": "1500992909"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=889837187022&reply_comment_id=889839497392", "anchor": "fb-889837187022_889839497392", "service": "fb", "text": "→ (or just conventional rail)", "timestamp": "1500992925"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=889837187022&reply_comment_id=889840405572", "anchor": "fb-889837187022_889840405572", "service": "fb", "text": "→ or dual mode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I1GBcAlm-8", "timestamp": "1500993098"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=902163025942", "anchor": "fb-902163025942", "service": "fb", "text": "A 2005 example of the FAA applying this sort of reasoning:
\"The FAA today announced that it will not mandate the use of child safety seats on airplanes because of the increased safety risk to families. The agency said its analyses showed that, if forced to purchase an extra airline ticket, families might choose to drive, a statistically more dangerous way to travel.\" -- https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm...", "timestamp": "1506428369"}, {"author": "Jess", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=902163025942&reply_comment_id=902163554882", "anchor": "fb-902163025942_902163554882", "service": "fb", "text": "→ The FAA has long been an anomolously sensible agency. I wish someone made a case study of them.", "timestamp": "1506428514"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=902163025942&reply_comment_id=902163869252", "anchor": "fb-902163025942_902163869252", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Though \"we're not going to mandate making this mode safer because it would raise prices and shift people to less safe modes\" is probably politically much easier than \"we're going to remove mandates that currently make this mode safer in order to lower prices and shift people onto this mode\"", "timestamp": "1506428676"}, {"author": "Jess", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=902163025942&reply_comment_id=902171159642", "anchor": "fb-902163025942_902171159642", "service": "fb", "text": "→ Agreed, but the FAA has removed mandates in the past. For instance, they substantially relaxed restrictions on the maximum distance twin-engine airplanes were allowed to operate from the nearest emergency landing site because the airlines demonstrated how much reliability of those engines had improved since the rule was formulated. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETOPS", "timestamp": "1506432325"}, {"author": "Greg", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=902163025942&reply_comment_id=902230341042", "anchor": "fb-902163025942_902230341042", "service": "fb", "text": "→ \"Planes rool cars drool.\" -the FAA.", "timestamp": "1506457606"}, {"author": "Greg", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/772868797612?comment_id=902163025942&reply_comment_id=902231014692", "anchor": "fb-902163025942_902231014692", "service": "fb", "text": "→ But actually... I'm also really glad for the FAA, but my intuition (which is moderately informed, my father is a pilot and I've had training, I've read many documents about and posted by the FAA) is that the main reason the FAA is able to act in such a manner is that they have consistent funding and support from wealthy and educated people that want to fly. The barrier to entry for flight is MUCH higher than that of driving, and it needs to be in our current social structure.
When self-driving cars take over, then perhaps we can see an FAA equivalent for manually driving, and with it a heavy increase in both cost and training/complexity of attaining a manual license, which will no longer be a (more or less) social requirement for lower class people.", "timestamp": "1506457896"}]}