Bicycles, Mass Transit, flex cars, hybrids, all electric, etc. etc.

[PretzelWarrior]

Hi folks. Enough of my rant about Obama celebrity gossip watch. ;) This one's about something I care about and have thought a lot about.

There are two posts about cars that are electric or at least have great gas mileage that are at the top of the page right now

here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8198312&mesg_id=8198312

and here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8196737&mesg_id=8196737

I live in Portland which thankfully has decent mass transit options for the USA and they're getting better. They aren't "NYC" or "Boston" good, but we have light rail going east/west and north/south with a large extension farther south. We have that cool aerial tram taking people from OHSU hilltop down to south watherfront district. We have Portland Streetcare and a new heavy rail commuter link from Beaverton to Wilsonville (looking forward to trying that).

Anyway, there are also flex cars available through the area aside from extensive bus system.

What are your success stories in your cities re: improving transit? Have you used flex cars? What has been your feeling about them?

[PBS Poll-435]

1. I am extremely jealous that you live and thrive in Portland

I miss Oregon so much!

As far as mass transit goes, the coast has a much better idea of what that really means than here in Dallas. 4 120 million dollar bonds and there are 3 real lines that are at capacity during the hours that actually matter.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Pfft. Seattle has the SLUT!

http://www.ridetheslut.com/

(Not what you might be thinking.)

:rofl:

[PretzelWarrior]

3. for the size of city...Seattle is WAYYY behind where they should be.

I've ridden the downtown transit buses underground and the monorail from Space Needle to West Lake Center. They're nice but very limited. Yes, you guys have the all-important ferry systems, but the should have MUCH MUCH more especially to help deal with east side growth. I was happy to see a very bold mass transit plan that would include light rail across I-90 bridge over to east side.

They seriously need a lot more than they have now, and at least they know it and have the administration and congress to get it done. Did I mention I-405 sucks ass???

[BlooInBloo]

6. Yup, to all you said.

[Honeycombe8]

4. Oregon. Lucky you. Beautiful there. But it's super expensive. Only the rich get good views?

That's what I surmised when I saw a documentary on the area. It was on the real estate there or something.

[Honeycombe8]

5. I'm in Dallas. A very wealthy area. We now have high speed rail, but it is limited...

in where it runs (so far). Still, it has helped ease traffic congestion. It was very expensive and required forward thinking planning years ago, as well as funding. Kudos to the Dallas leaders for pushing that through.

By flex car, do you mean hybrid? I'm looking to buy a new car soon. I'm considering these, but so far, they don't seem to get much (if any) better gas mileage than non-hybrids? I can't figure that one out. Did they just stick a battery in it and the label "hybrid" as a gimmick? I think so.

No EV cars available in the US yet, from what I can determine.

The mpg standards in most vehicles - unchanged for many years.

So, really, not much has changed since I last bought a car (in 1997). Disappointing. But I'm researching it. I'm researching it.

[PretzelWarrior]

7. I may start this discussion in GD also

to get it way from presidential discussion. But I am so excited about the possibilities. To answer your question...Flex car. What that was is a company started in Seattle after a similar one had started in Portland. For an annual fee and for variable rate to use, you can have short term availability of a car when the mass transit you normally use doesn't work for you.

This is a great idea for people who have reasonable access to buses, trains, etc. but every so often need a regular vehicle for something. In that case, these cars are quick options available when you're not able to borrow ride from friend and a regular daily/weekly rental for long trips isn't needed.

The Seattle company FlexCar now merged with Zipcar in Boston.

We need MUCH MUCH MUCH more of this stuff.

[4lbs]

8. In the last 4 or 5 years, the city of San Diego has tried to make its mass transit greener.

The San Diego Trolley is operated via electricity, almost half of which is power obtained from wind/solar/hydro sources. It's actually been around a while, since the early 1980s. However, it's expanded service greatly in the last 5 years.

Almost all the county busses have converted from diesel to using clean natural gas. There is a great deal of difference in any air pollution as being "stuck" behind one doesn't mean you are coughing your lungs out breathing in diesel exhaust.

Next on the list over the next couple of years is to convert the county's school busses to natural gas as well. The stimulus will hopefully provide funding for that.

This natural gas is actually biomethane produced from the processing of raw sewage at the county's main sewage treatment plant.

There is also a commuter rail called "The Coaster" that links most downtown San Diego City spots with areas in the North County.

Further rail is Metrolink. The Metrolink commuter trains serve Oceanside and operate in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

Then there is the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. It operates between San Diego and San Luis Obispo.