Comments on: Poll Shows Strong Support For HSR Funding

By: Joey

Joey — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:37:16 +0000

Let’s just try to make sure the trains are on time :D

By: Alon Levy

Alon Levy — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:10:57 +0000

Leroy, is schedule adherence as important as you say it is across the board? I was under the impression the studies promoting its importance were done for commuter rail, where schedule adherence should be more important than for intercity rail or local urban transit.

By: Robert Cruickshank

Robert Cruickshank — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:46:50 +0000

I don’t care what someone’s position or bias may be. If their arguments hold up and are supported by the evidence, that’s enough for me.

So far, HSR critics have yet to find any evidence (for example) that there’s anything wrong with the ridership estimates, despite their desperate efforts to find such proof. If they ever found any legitimate flaws, I’d approach it with an open mind.

By: BruceMcF

BruceMcF — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:06:12 +0000

As Peter noted, the original comment seems to be in relative terms – the change in weight, etc. from the change in transport system – not in absolute terms.

That is, there are overweight people in both the US and Singapore, to take two countries with quite different transport systems but not very dissimilar income levels.

But with the heavy reliance on the car in the US and a transport system in many suburban areas that allows no effective alternative to the car, its not surprising that a substantially larger share of the population in almost all parts of the US are overweight than in Singapore.

By: BruceMcF

BruceMcF — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:02:07 +0000

Having proctored several surveys of transit passengers, I can assure you that the service attribute most desired – or demanded – is schedule adherence (or “punctuality”)

And note that this is not a context-independent.

(1) Starting a trip with a relatively low frequency service, a tendency to run ahead of schedule forces early arrivals, and wait time has about twice the penalty on ridership as ride time.

(2) Connecting to a low frequency service, arriving at the connection in time is the higher priority, and a short wait a secondary priority

(3) Connecting to a high frequency service, arriving early is never a problem

(4) Ending a trip with a relatively low frequency service, a tendency to run ahead of schedule forces misses services … this imposes the most a substantial penalty on the last trip on a low frequency service.

This is why the Perth (WA) station service buses are effective recruiters, since they tend to be relatively short routes that allow buses to reliably arrive on time for the train without requiring excessively long waiting times at the station, and that is taken advantage of to provide bus routes and schedules (and ticketing) that are integrated to the rail system.

And for ridership modeling, its definitely true that rather than average wait, there ideally should be median wait, difference between median wait and 95th percentile wait, and a missed connnection measure.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:17:19 +0000

And neutral in which they don’t have a vested interest in stating things in a certain way to fit their patron’s agenda.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:59:19 +0000

I think Dave was referring to people who “choose” to gain weight. Not those who have a medical problem leading to the weight gain.

By: Victor

Victor — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:51:59 +0000

Ok I object to being called Lazy, I may be fat(380lbs or so), But lazy I’m not, I used to be able to do around 100 sit ups in about 1 minute, It started turning to fat after I stopped doing so many, In any case I use a car as mass transit doesn’t exist out here outside of dial a ride and one can not bring home food on the bus and expect It to stay frozen, So I drive a car to the market once a month and to the Post Office twice a week to get My mail as this area has no mail delivery to ones house or business, But then I’m a disabled person and in less than a year I’ll be 50 yrs old, I like HSR, But then I’ve always liked Trains, My Dad and brother like Cars and so I didn’t get along with Dad on that(among other things), Anything strenuous and My core body temperature shoots up into the near dangerous range as then I’m sweating like crazy then(You don’t have a clue as to My medical background or a degree in Medicine either most likely), But I digress, Please don’t assume a Fat person eats anymore than You do or is any lazier than You are(I don’t know if You are or not, So I won’t) as It’s wrong to do so.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:46:20 +0000

Neutral, as in their opinions are based on facts and they are willing to change those opinions based on how facts change.

By: EJ

EJ — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:16:37 +0000

“Neutrality” is a bogus concept and is irrelevant. If they’re truly neutral, why would they even bother learning about the subject?

Arguments pro or con should stand on their own merits, not how many letters someone has after their name or how professedly “neutral” they are.