There is some data on on the usage of the new transit routes from the Cowichan valley. The total daily boardings are still very light, about 12 to 15 per bus run. I can see that the people using it are likely to be very happy with it, but the impact of the bus is minimal.
Realistically the service is taking only about 80 cars a day off of the roads if almost all of the people were formerly single car commuters. I suspect many of the transit users were car poolers or used other methods to get into Victoria. I think it is more realistic to say that about 60 cars have been removed from the road. Total savings of about 1000 litres of gasoline being burned each day.
Is this really the sort of service that should be promoted? Are there not higher and more important transit needs in the Cowichan Valley than this service?
Let's just cancel the route now. Why waste any more time seeing if it might grow. After all if the buses don't run full on day one then clearly the whole thing was a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteYeah, as if. Nothing like rushing to a conclusion when the whole thing started with the understanding it would take TWO YEARS before the route would be considered "established". Oh, and perhaps we also keep in mind that this is partly a test for a potential train run which would be more popular than a bus service using transit rolling stock.
Bernard,
ReplyDeleteSent you a PM on Vibrant Victoria. Hope you get the message soon..
Roger