BUSWAYS AND GOLDEN EMPIRE TRANSIT

Simple changes to the urban design of our modern transit transportation services can also increase ridership if we have the courage to introduce local action. These actions should focus in two areas. First the two lanes required in either direction for transit vehicles pathways and second the alteration on these pathways for three levels of service provision.

Let’s begin with providing definition for pathways or “Channels for Transit.” By the way, “channels” or “corridors” are terms well understood by transportation planners. Coming from a foreign country and suggesting things that have worked well in other lands but not found in America, is most disturbing to local planners. This prejudice is only beginning to break with the New York incident last year. Planners are now beginning to reflect that maybe there is an “European” advantage of a convenient linkage of air to rail transfer at international airports. This change bodes well as now we can look more lucidly at “intermodal changes” in other local forms of transportation.

In my career as an urban designer to do this kind of transportation planning requires that we suggest something as radical as “apartheid” of vehicles on common roadways. No longer can we commit to a mix of different vehicle axle weights on all of our seamless roadways. We have to consider specific standards for safe passage of alternative vehicles via separation of travel along new “channels.”

The simplest example is bikeways versus freightways. If a white painted line separates bikeways on arterials from 18-wheeler truck traffic, is this smart planning? Does it represent safe public transportation planning for both vehicle users?

First let us again examine bus “Channels for Transit” as to where they have been designated on a Golden Empire Transit (G.E.T.) map for service of passengers. One notes that buses are traversing their routes on arterials for the most part. Therefore at the times of peak commute the 34 seats that buses take up in volume suffer the same congestion as do car commuters, who are in the majority on these pathways taking up the volumes of six seats in average with only one occupant - the driver. Does this not suggest that waiting for the bus as well as taking the same time as using a car to reach a desired destination presents an advantage to transit? It does not. Therefore bus transit is compromised and not seen as flexible or an alternative means for commuting to and from residence to workplace.

Some adoptions of advanced technology such as a passenger friendly bus shelters with a visual communication devise of anticipated service and estimated time of arrival or departure is good. However these devises still do not create a sufficient advantage over the convenience and cost of ones own vehicle in reaching our desired destination at any certain time. The duration of time of getting to where we desire and to be punctual is important in keeping our employment or reaching a friend or family member in distress.

The second part of this solution is to examine the range or type of bus transit services that should be offered to reduce time between desired door-to-door travels for patronage utilization. Normally transit that works well in other foreign lands most efficiently carries the most passengers around the city and beyond by adopting three kinds of service levels – express, arterial and local. The express service - the most heavily patronized is given the advantage of reaching places in less time than taken by the singular motor vehicle. To gain these advantages some communities have provided “channels” which are for the exclusive use of transit buses. No other vehicles are allowed on these pathways. Therefore together with bus drivers being able to advance rapidly through intersections by anticipating control for their advantage, travel is not impeded by motor vehicle congestion.

The arterial service connections bring patrons to points on the express lines where intermodal changes take place. The local service is one that usually dispatches smaller transit vehicles to collect those who are infirmed or aged from their homes to connect either the arterial or express lines bus stations. The local also provides point to point passenger service on Sunday’s, holidays or special collective community events. Local service also provides for the emergency needs of the population. Such a network allows a region to reach points far and wide thus offering a wholesome bus transit service.

Bakersfieldians let’s truly address raising the quality of our transit by adopting two such simple considerations. We should take action to implement such advantages for bus transit. Whether we like it or not we contribute taxes for transit even although we hardly use the advantages offered by such bus transit services. Traveling via transit needs an attitude change, as we are going to be forced to clean the quality of our air pollution in the Southern San Joaquin Valley. These simple transit changes, if taken, will increase ridership and induce better utilization of transit as an alternative means of getting places.

The direct results of such a solution for G.E.T. transit are numerous. No more driving to reach the places we desire. Spending less money to get where we want to go. Doing so with less pollution impact to our environment.

This would thus give us a healthier environment, cleaner air, and a little more walking to better enjoy our outdoor neighborhoods in which we reside. Why as suburbanites we might even get to know and socialize more with our Bakerfieldians while we travel together!

BY Graham Kaye-Eddie – Master Urban Designer.

Makabusi Inc. – Bakersfield – California

Email – makabusi@pacbell.net

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