Does this change our perspective on public transportation?

[fastfredracing]

Lets say, this takes 2 years to work itself through, or another deadly virus comes along
Trains, buses, and mass transit will have to adopt some drastic changes to be safe. But then, will they be viable? Will it be financially sustainable ?
Does a large city bus filled to 1/3 capacity even make any sense ? How do you keep one clean and sanitized?

[KFC911]

Can't speak for say "in town" Greensboro, but we have them running between our Triad cities....if they have a single passenger on most trips...I'd be shocked .

Been that way forever...

[Noah930]

That's a great question, Fred. To combat the high cost of housing, the government in LA has been pushing for high-density living. High rises. Backyard additions to create separate guesthouses that can be rented out. They relaxed the parking requirements for this type of housing (previously a developer had to have x number of on-site parking spots per unit/bedroom, but now it's a lower number). To counter the resultant increase in traffic congestion, public transportation has been pushed (even here in LA, where the car is king). But looking at how the subway system in NY, for example, probably served to spread Covid-19 to such devastating effects, maybe encouraging everyone to take public transportation is not such a great idea after all.

[aigel]

All relevant Asian countries are packed with people and they have dense housing and public transport. A lot of those countries fared very well in supressing the outbreak without sending everyone out to buy a car!

Also, NY is dense, all right, but their mayor was telling people to go to the movies the week we already let people work from home in CA ... that's the biggest problem in NY, they got to distancing measures way too late.

G

[Noah930]

So how do we maintain social distancing and public transportation simultaneously?

[jyl]

If we were Taiwan or S Korea, with successful experience handling SARS and an obedient populace, mass transit could be a non factor. But we are the US, for good or bad.

I look at states that implemented social distancing much later than NYC, or still haven’t, yet have much lower covid rates, hard to believe that density isn’t part of it.

[aigel]

Yes, density certainly won't help. So, how do some of these Asian countries do it? I think religious wearing of face masks and handling them properly must be a big driver.

Personally, I have to admit, I stopped riding the train February 21 after getting sick the Monday after that. Sure hope it was COVID.

g

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Noah930

So how do we maintain social distancing and public transportation simultaneously?

There is a way -- in development.

People go in pods (can be cars); the pods link up and travel at much closer distances than normal human operated cars.

Of course, there are always side effects* such as the issue of who has control of the pods? an over weaning central govt.? can terrorists hack the system and crash the pods?


is the above a contra-indication??

Anyway, this infectious event should make us think about everything from architectural layout of certain bldgs., to the drive for densification, to public health policy.

And... Covid-19 is JUST a warning shot across the bow.

Biowarfare will be much worse.

[jyl]

Dear VC/Entrepreneur Community: please get cracking.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by aigel

Yes, density certainly won't help. So, how do some of these Asian countries do it? I think religious wearing of face masks and handling them properly must be a big driver.

Personally, I have to admit, I stopped riding the train February 21 after getting sick the Monday after that. Sure hope it was COVID.

g

It occurs to me that one of the first things that emptied out in China when the virus hit was the buses and subways. Even today, ridership on mass transit in China is very depressed.

[island911]

Seattle area has a 54 Billion dollar train extension (still being constructed during this CV lock down) that ends at the Microsoft main campus. ...which has pretty well cleared out with so many tech employees working from home.

The train may be completely useless, but at least it is MASSIVELY expensive. Oh, and clearly, with their continued construction, they want old people to die. (that's how this works, right?)

[MRM]

China shut down mass transit completely and confined people to their homes except for limited essential travel until the outbreak passed. Now that the train s and buses are running again ridership is maybe 10% of what it was.

[island911]

Originally Posted by jyl

Dear VC/Entrepreneur Community: please get cracking.

Nice.

Although those look heavy for gravity environments and difficult to get into..

Perhaps we put them on wheels, make 'em a bit bigger, with easy access doors.

hmm... sounds heavy.

I know, lets motorize this new people pod idea.

SInce it has a motor, we can make a family sized version!

Excuse me, I have to run off to the patent office.... (gti)

[pwd72s]

My opinion of mass transit hasn't changed. It's a great way to move crime into more affluent neighborhoods...

[Arizona_928]

[fanaudical]

I expect to see some new bus designs - image a whole bunch of doors on each side of the bus with each door leading to a singular pod with one seat (or no seat - just stand up and bounce around the enclosed pod...).

[livi]

Works for me. I never use public transportation and I have no bike. If the distance is more than 200 meters I use my car. Go Greta!

[cabmandone]

I did the subway thing once... swore I'd never do that again. I can't imagine people will be flocking to mass transit anytime soon if there is any other option.

[GH85Carrera]

We have a city bus service. I have never ridden it. Even if I want to I would have to walk about a mile to the nearest bus stop and likely another mile or more at the other end. Cars are just cheaper and easier, and I can go on my schedule.

[KFC911]

I've used the mass transit in NYC and DC...once in SF (just to ride a cable car) and in SD to get to the border. They run virtually empty here...taxpayer paid Uber rides would be a helluva lot cheaper and better imo.