ION Stage I: what would you do differently?

[Bytor]

Yeah, Well, I've given you a bunch of things. The extra drivers, the extra mechanics, the higher energy costs, the increased busway maintenance over time. You're just ignoring them.

You can't just write a wall of text and say that's that, withing pertinent studies relating to us.

Do you think that we're special snowflakes and that electric busses will magically cost less for us than other place? If not, then you need to address that. Why do I need to provide "studies" for this?

Do you think that we're special snowflakes and that these magic electric busses will also not require drivers? If not, then you need to address that. Why do I need to provide "studies" for this?

Do you think that the electric busses that the manufacturers say have a batter life of 4-6 hours will magically last as long as a diesel bus with a full tank of fuel? If not, then you need to address that. Why do I need to provide "studies" for this?

Do you think that electricity will magically cost so much more for a tram than diesel fuel for busses? If not, then you need to address that. Why do I need to provide "studies" for this?

Do you think that electric trams will magically be less efficient for us than electric busses and thus would your more electricity passenger? If not, then you need to address that. Why do I need to provide "studies" for this?

Do you think that busway will magically last as long as rail tracks tracks with as little maintenance, in spit of what Charles St Terminal showed? If not, then you need to address that. Why do I need to provide "studies" for this?

I have made no controversial statements. I haven't simply given you random numbers from Google. I haven't simply been shooting down "any" argument against ION LRT.

BRT was going to be cheaper, but in my case I cannot provide numbers because of a legal clause as that information belongs to the Region of Waterloo whom I frequently work for. We went with LRT obviously. But the burden of proof is in yourself if you are going to keep claiming all options except the LRT as it is was preferable.

I have pointed out some significant concerns, like the list above, relating to the cost of a BRT system, but instead of addressing them you just stick your fingers in your ears and go "nuh uh!". That and the falsehoods you state about what funding was available for when and for which mode. only to later walk back on with "I don't really remember" make it seem like you are not arguing in good faith.

Wish what you will, but evidence from the rest of North America shows that there is a threshold ridership level above which operations costs make it cheaper per passenger to operate. That is not controversial or disputed in transit planning. But if you want references, here, go read these. I don't expect you to, though, since you're unwilling to address things like higher staffing costs of requiring more drivers and/or mechanics, or the higher costs of diesel fuel, or how you'd need more electric busses than you would need diesel buses, or how electric busses cost 8x as much a diesel busses.

Bruun, E. (2005). Bus Rapid Transit and Light Rail: Comparing Operating Costs with a Parametric Cost Model. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. 1927 (11–21).

General Accounting Office [GAO]. (2001). Mass Transit: Bus Rapid Transit Shows Promise. Washington, DC: United States General Accounting Office.

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County [MTAHC]. (1999). The Houston Evaluation for Build Alternatives: Major Investment Study/Environmental Assessment. Houston, TX: MTHAC.

National Transit Database. (2007). TS 2.1: Service Data and Operating Expenses Time-Series by Mode. Washington, DC: National Transit Database, Federal Transit Adiministration.