{"channel":"cities","content":"there are a few *issues* with this project that the *machine* hasn't quite picked up on ...\r\n\r\n----\r\n\r\n*occupancy rate* - you can't expect 100% occupancy. You don't even want that. 100% occupancy requires people to \"reserve\" their bus ticket ahead of time. Which means, no walk-up traffic. People are very unlikely to want a *commuter* pass that requires they take the 6:30AM bus and never the 7:00AM bus.\r\n\r\n*bus utilization* - ( well, actually, it knows you need a spare bus) the economics mean that owning additional buses that aren't used is a very minimal cost. and, time for maintenance or \"surge demand\" is also necessary.\r\n\r\non the other hand, its awareness of \"driver utilization\" was less robust. you can't just pay a driver for one 3-hour shift.\r\n\r\n----\r\n\r\n*station location* - Stations, ideally, have some or all of these:\r\n> ample parking\r\n> public transit connections\r\n> destinations within walking distance\r\n> quick access to interstate highways\r\n\r\nIt didn't really have to pick locations here; the main 3 stops (Ames Intermodal Facility, Des Moines DART Central Station, and Osceola AMTRAK) were pre-determined.\r\n\r\n----\r\n\r\n*additional stops* - This is, more broadly, a common failure of public transit. Having every bus stop in Huxley and Ankeny on the way to Des Moines would be bad. Even the Ankeny stop might not make sense; how many people commute Ames <-> Ankeny?\r\n\r\nAn initial draft suggested possible stops at Drake University, Merle Hay Mall, and even North Grand Mall in Ames. Were these << *AND* >> suggestions, or << *XOR* >> suggestions? It doesn't matter; the scenario where they are proposed as << *XOR* >> and implemented as << *AND* >> happens too often to be ignored.\r\n\r\n----\r\n\r\n*electric buses* - ( well, actually, I didn't ask. it's response is fine.)\r\n\r\n <<< Total initial capital expenditure: $5,320,000-$10,590,000\r\nThis is roughly 3-3.5 times higher than the diesel bus CAPEX estimate ($1,620,000-$3,240,000). >>>","created_at":"2025-05-09T18:59:45.434024","id":477,"llm_annotations":{},"parent_id":476,"processed_content":"

there are a few issues with this project that the machine hasn't quite picked up on ...\r

*occupancy rate* - you can't expect 100% occupancy. You don't even want that. 100% occupancy requires people to \"reserve\" their bus ticket ahead of time. Which means, no walk-up traffic. People are very unlikely to want a commuter pass that requires they take the 6:30AM bus and never the 7:00AM bus.\r

\n

*bus utilization* - \n \u2694\ufe0f\n ( well, actually, it knows you need a spare bus)\n the economics mean that owning additional buses that aren't used is a very minimal cost. and, time for maintenance or \"surge demand\" is also necessary.\r

\n

on the other hand, its awareness of \"driver utilization\" was less robust. you can't just pay a driver for one 3-hour shift.\r

*station location* - Stations, ideally, have some or all of these:\r

\n
    \n
  • ample parking\r
    • \n
  • public transit connections\r
    • \n
  • destinations within walking distance\r
    • \n
  • quick access to interstate highways\r
    • \n
\n

It didn't really have to pick locations here; the main 3 stops (Ames Intermodal Facility, Des Moines DART Central Station, and Osceola AMTRAK) were pre-determined.\r

*additional stops* - This is, more broadly, a common failure of public transit. Having every bus stop in Huxley and Ankeny on the way to Des Moines would be bad. Even the Ankeny stop might not make sense; how many people commute Ames <-> Ankeny?\r

\n

An initial draft suggested possible stops at Drake University, Merle Hay Mall, and even North Grand Mall in Ames. Were these AND suggestions, or XOR suggestions? It doesn't matter; the scenario where they are proposed as XOR and implemented as AND happens too often to be ignored.\r

*electric buses* - \n \u2694\ufe0f\n ( well, actually, I didn't ask. it's response is fine.)\n \r

\n

Total initial capital expenditure: $5,320,000-$10,590,000\r

\n

This is roughly 3-3.5 times higher than the diesel bus CAPEX estimate ($1,620,000-$3,240,000).

","quotes":[],"subject":"pembina, part 5: the human touch"}