Streetcars are obsolete?

[Yoshimura]

With all this hoopla of self-driving cars in the pipeline, wouldn't it make sense to switch to that? A huge fleet of vans with Uber style service?
Seems like it would leapfrog streetcars in terms of convenience, efficiency and cost.

 

[smuncky]

No.

 

[APTA-2048]

Where's that image of people in a streetcar footprint vs auto footprint...

 

[W. K. Lis]

Actually will mean more congestion. Instead of two trips, there could be four trips, two of which will be with zero people in them. And a more waste of fuel.

 

[jje1000]

With all this hoopla of self-driving cars in the pipeline, wouldn't it make sense to switch to that? A huge fleet of vans with Uber style service?
Seems like it would leapfrog streetcars in terms of convenience, efficiency and cost.

Nah the future is going to be in self-driving streetcars and buses. Still more efficient to collect people at designated points, rather than winding around picking up people along the way.

 

[crs1026]

Single person in a vehicle is inherently space- and energy- inefficient, and environmentally toxic.

The case for self-driving is reduction in personal capital investment (pooled use) and safety (health care and death benefits mostly - cars are relatively cheap to replace, people aren't).

You wouldn't want to live next to a highway full of self driving cars, even if it is more efficient (actually, the 427 is pretty efficient.... so long as no one has an accident)

The challenge is to improve public transit so that it is as pleasant and efficient as riding in your own car. I would choose self driving cars over the 504 at rush hour..... but transit doesnt have to be like that.

- Paul

 

[wopchop]

With all this hoopla of self-driving cars in the pipeline, wouldn't it make sense to switch to that? A huge fleet of vans with Uber style service?
Seems like it would leapfrog streetcars in terms of convenience, efficiency and cost.

 

[Steve X]

Nah the future is going to be in self-driving streetcars and buses. Still more efficient to collect people at designated points, rather than winding around picking up people along the way.

I'm imaging an automated suspended railway over all the cars that will dip down to ground level to board and then curve back up above the cars. No congestion, efficient, no massive tunnel and no expensive stations.

 

[TransitBart]

Normally, I am a free-speech advocate, but the thread name makes me wonder if I'd like to see the moderators delete the thread.

 

[crs1026]

I'm imaging an automated suspended railway over all the cars that will dip down to ground level to board and then curve back up above the cars. No congestion, efficient, no massive tunnel and no expensive stations.

I'm imagining a single auto lane above, leaving the transit where it is, and converting a full lane to a bike lane.. If you assume weight-restricted cars-only and automation, it doesn't need sidewalks and the weight bearing limits might be lower than elevated traffic so it could be thinner and more elegant. Doesn't connect with the entire road grid, it's more of a through route with some key junctions. Probably quieter than elevated transit. Tolled, but charges less for multiple passenger occupancy than single passenger.

And then you make the transit lanes transit-only.

- Paul

 

[LiberalForLife]

It would be good if the streetcars had dedicated lanes but still the way Queen St. works is better than if there were no streetcars. Imagine the clog ups if we cut that transit routes.

 

[W. K. Lis]

It would be good if the streetcars had dedicated lanes but still the way Queen St. works is better than if there were no streetcars. Imagine the clog ups if we cut that transit routes.

It would be better if there were no automobiles on Queen Street and King Street. Imagine the speed of the streetcars if we had a congestion charge like in London, England.

 

[LiberalForLife]

It would be better if there were no automobiles on Queen Street and King Street. Imagine the speed of the streetcars if we had a congestion charge like in London, England.

Sorry I worded that awkwardly. I mean to say that taking away the streetcars would cause congestion but you are right the cars on Queen and King do cause the streetcars to slow down. It's a good idea.

 

[amnesiajune]

It would be better if there were no automobiles on Queen Street and King Street.

So no local east-west street south of Dundas? That would never work.

What is actually feasible is to reduce/remove streetcar service from one of those streets (probably Queen) and reduce car traffic on the other street (probably King) to one-way/alternating directions so the streetcars get a dedicated ROW. But you can't just say "ban cars on Queen and King" when there's no other way of travelling west of Bathurst. Might as well just ban cars from downtown altogether.

 

[crs1026]

Just got home after my first detour on the 501 shuttle from Roncy around the upcoming construction and into Long Branch. I hate to admit, the bus zipped along the Queensway much more quickly than the streetcar ever did. Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow in rush hour, however - the detour route runs along Lakeshore over the Humber.

- Paul