Editor's Blog - September 2019

What is public transport, what is not?

At the 16th Thredbo International conference held this time in Singapore, there were questions about two particular forms of transport, one that is rarely considered as public transport (flying in commercial aeroplanes) and one that is considered public transport (taxis and hire cars).

Commercial passenger flights are perhaps a very clear example of public transport, carrying large payloads of passengers and operating in a competitive market, even though the industry is rarely considered in general transport conferences (the 2018 AITPM National Conference that had a keynote speech on regional flights being an exception).

Because taxis are considered public transport, they are given priority to use Bus lanes (although not Bus Only lanes).

With the advent of ride hailing services such as Uber and Lyft, should we re-consider this priority? The claim is that they may carry multiple people but the reality is that they are a chauffeur driven vehicle more typically for one person who can afford to pay.

Disjointed incrementalism 

On the last day, during the summary of the Thredbo conference, a reference was made to American political scientist Charles Lindbolm who developed the phrase “Disjointed incrementalism” which is defined as “The various incremental stages of decision-making are not closely integrated with the preceding stages”.

I see this as an apt description of the political system in many countries but it also rings a bell on the approach that is often taken for transport solutions: the flavour of the month project (or mode) rather than developing an integrated system.

Unintended consequences – but consequences no less

At the Thredbo Conference there was a strong push to look at making transport systems profitable which is an essential component of any commercially run system.

But in my paper titled “Transport competition within the bigger business picture”, I noted that large companies that are wanting to dominate the entire relationship with customers, could result in transport being just one component of customer service and may even become a loss leader to enhance the relationship.

The example I gave is that for $15 a month, you can get unlimited parcel deliveries from Amazon.  The result is that people who are time poor, are ordering one-off items as they need them thus replacing one or two trips to the shops with multiple deliveries to their door.  I know of one couple who have ordered toothpaste which was promptly delivered.

Of course, this brings pressure on the supplier to reduce costs and a consequent result of ever increasing pressure on delivery drivers.  An article in Buzzfeed News, a news organisation that came out of the American Internet media, news and entertainment company Buzz Feed, produced a report under the heading “Amazon’s Next-Day Delivery Has Brought Chaos And Carnage To America’s Streets — But The World’s Biggest Retailer Has A System To Escape The Blame”. The article gave an account of an 84-year-old pedestrian who was hit and killed by a delivery van working during pre-Christmas rush.  The driver was charged with reckless homicide while Amazon denies any responsibility. Buss Feed News says they have conducted a year-long investigation and found numerous examples of crashes related to parcel deliveries.

There were accusations of pressure for drivers to skip meals and even toilet breaks.  While this is a sensationalist heading and Buzz Feed News is not without its own controversies, other examples such as the ride hailing services suggest that the transport consequences and the working conditions arising out of the new business models could be causing significant adverse consequences.

Keeping a focus on people in a world of big data

When I interviewed Brian Smith from WSP, for my National Features and Documentary radio program on disability and transport, we covered a wide range of issues.  Here is a quote that I particularly like that isn’t being used in the doco (there is only so much room) but it does resonate for our whole profession.

As planners, we should always be striving to better understand the needs of the people we are planning for, because our planning and design decisions have real effects on peoples’ lives.

As new data sources and digital innovations deliver large increases in travel information to transport planners, there is a risk that easier access to volumes of data will increase the distance between planning practice and the individual people we affect. We have a great opportunity to harness emerging data sources and digital methods to better understand the people we are planning for; but we must demand a focus on people from ourselves, our peers and our clients.

Brian Smith

What factors should be in a school bus algorithm?

In the “Worth a read” section below there is a link to a story of how the Boston District in America saved $5million by developing an algorithm to more efficiently schedule their school bus services.

Their difficulty was representing the millions of decision variables that affect any solution. What variables should be included.  Here is what they considered and I have to say some of them were not what I expected.

Varying road widths, differing bus infrastructures (for example, the presence of wheelchair lifts or child safety restraint seats), students who require the same bus driver every year, students who have monitors, and students who have been in fights and, therefore, need to be on different buses. It also includes the roughly 5,000 students who have a special need that requires door-to-door pick up and drop off (sometimes to non-BPS schools, as the city provides yellow bus service to students who attend charter and private schools within Boston, and to special education facilities outside the city).

Great minds think alike

In the August newsletter we had a story about the UK using artificial intelligence to analyse 146 million photos of the road network and determine the quality of the line marking.

When asked about line marking in Australia, Alan Finlay said “don’t get me started”.

I covered the subject in one of my motoring minutes that go out to over 100 radio stations around Australia and this led to a discussion with a program producer from the ABC in Sydney. Unprompted she expressed immense frustration with our situation and used the expression “Don’t get me started”!!

Doug Bell’s business

I first met Doug Bell when I went to my second transport planning job at the NSW State Ministry of Transport State Transport Study Group.

Together (well more him than me) we worked on modelling the road and public transport network.

Doug eventually started his own business Multi-Model Transport Solutions which maintained a strong expertise in modelling as well a wide range of transport evaluations. 

Doug has now retired. His business has a good credibility and a network of clients who have benefited from Doug’s work.

If anyone was interested in establishing their own business in modelling then they might like to have a word with Doug.  I am sure that Doug will take great delight in facilitating a transition into this part of the profession and business.

Riding in a 1913 Rolls 

At the Shannon’s Classic car show, the overall winner was David Berthon with his beautifully restored 1913 Rolls Royce.

It is luxury, yes with a sense of the mechanics of the vehicle.

To start it you put a penny under the starting jet int eh carburetor, then crank the engine. (David has two 1913 pennies of course, one British one Australian).

The speedo indicates the maximum speed you have reached and can only be reset with the owner’s key. This shows if the chauffer has been speeding.

There is a gradient dial that took David 11 years to find an original.

Beside the passenger’s door, there is a wicker basket for keeping your umbrella.

In the passenger seat I felt like a king but my Royal wave was not up to scratch.

An interview with David Berthon, including a history of this very rare Rolls Royce that was built for the Spanish Grand Prix can be heard at http://drivenmedia.com.au/wp/1913-rolls-royce-david-berthons-classic-restoration-of-a-very-rare-rolls-at-shannons-classic/ 

AITPM predicts my life expectancy

I am encouraged by the listing of my personal profile on the AITPM web site that states that my free subscription (as a Life Member) is in force until 01 April 2068. I am not as optimistic about lasting that long yet I marvel at the accuracy of the prediction.

I have discussed this with other Life Members and there seems to be a similar expectation. I hope we all last that long but I wonder what is so catastrophic about the 1 April 2068.