Moving LANTA Forward: Real change, real soon!

Last year, the LANTA Board of Directors officially adopted the Moving LANTA Forward strategic plan to guide LANTA’s policy decisions over the next decade. Moving LANTA Forward included three main elements: a service plan for the fixed route system; a marketing plan; and a land use outreach toolkit.

The service plan element of Moving LANTA Forward called for a redesign of the current fixed route network to accomplish various goals including:

• Establish a tier system of corridors to guide service and capital enhancements;
• Improve user-friendliness of the system through streamlined routes and a new route classification system;
• Reduce complexity by reducing variations and eliminating the separate evening service structure;
• Create new direct connections for prominent travel patterns with new through-routing links;
• Address route segments with “tight” running times to improve reliability and reduce operator stress; and
• Use flexible service models to address sparsely developed areas.

On Monday, August 29, 2011, LANTA will implement the first phase of changes designed to address these improvement goals. LANTA has developed a proposed service plan which will be a significant redesign of the current system. The proposals for changes will be made available for public comment starting Tuesday April 5, 2011. Members of the public will be able to review the proposed changes and provide their input at four separate public input sessions as follows:

Allentown
Tuesday, April 5th 1 - 3 pm and 6-8 pm
Baum School of Art - 510 W. Linden St

Easton
Wednesday, April 6 1 - 3 pm
Eastonian Hotel - 140 Northampton St

Bethlehem
Wednesday, April 6 6 - 8 pm
Hyatt Hotel - 45 W. North St - opposite the Metro Mart

In addition, information will be available at www.lantabus.com and members of the public will be given the opportunity to submit questions or comments through various electronic venues.

Rising Gas Prices Result in Highest Transit Savings in Two Years

The American Public Transportation Association's (APTA's) latest Transit Savings Report (released monthly) examines how an individual in a two-person household can save money by taking public transportation and living with one less car. Gas prices increased 28 cents a gallon in the last 10 days and are expected to continue rising. As a result, people who ride public transportation save, on average, $9,904 annually, and $825 per month. These results, based on the March 4 average national gas price and the national unreserved monthly parking rate, show the highest savings for public transit riders in two years.

How Green is our Valley?

Ran across this article today:

London Bike Share Program not as "green" as had first been reported.

The article is interesting in that certain statistics and functional activities were ignored in trying to make this project appear to be contributing greatly to reducing emissions and providing alternative transit. China has similar projects that have been in place for less than a year and is struggling with maintaining them. It begs the question: is there a 'perfect green' project short of simply not traveling? We think not.

We had to chuckle the other day when we met an advocate for clean air for the first time and she remarked that it was 'unfortunate' that LANTA was 'part of the problem.' We were taken aback for a moment. Public transit prides itself as being part of the solution to air pollution in that by definition it eliminates so many trips that might otherwise be taken by single occupancy auto. Buses provide such a positive benefit compared to what is exhausted into the air as they operate that the scales are truly weighed in its favor. And technical improvements over the past decade have made 'clean diesel' a good deal more than an oxymoron.

As the advocate continued, it became clear that her focus was on the diesel fuel exhaust from the bus fleet and we have to concur, that is unfortunate. But given current technology and the economics of transit, there isn't really any pure, non-polluting energy alternative to transporting people.

The hybrid electric buses LANTA introduced to the Valley transit system last year go a long way towards minimizing pollutants but they still run somewhat on diesel fuel. And someday, the battery packs that help propel the vehilce will need to be replaced and there is the issue of disposing of batteries and the manufacture of new ones. Both processes have elements of pollution to them.

Obviously, what the world needs is a non-polluting energy alternative to power vehicles. The hydrogen fuel cell is the closest thing we've seen towards that end, but it remains a technology that is considered experimental and not entirely practical for general use.

In the meantime, taking the bus - walking when one can do so practically - is the best alternative for those who want to help the environment. And it's healthier too!

BRT . . . Is that something to eat?

Government is infamous for throwing around acronyms. In transportation, BRT is shorthand for Bus Rapid Transit, a transportation service that is part of the long term vision for public transportation in the Lehigh Valley laid out in the Moving LANTA Forward. It’s a term applied to public transportation systems using buses to provide a service that is similar to light rail transit without the rails.

It is a form of transportation pioneered in Curitiba, Brazil! Curitiba, one of the fastest growing, most progressive cities in South America. More than 3 decades ago, Curitiba initiated municipal planning that merged transit friendly designed with land use. Starting with one line along a major corridor, the mode proved so effective that today, all of Curitiba’s main arteries have express bus lanes that are dedicated to ‘bus rapid transit’ service.

The features of this service: it is quick, has limited stops at boarding platforms and uses rubber-tired vehicles that function and provide amenities more akin to subway or light rail service.

See here (http://urbanhabitat.org/node/344) for an article with more detail about Curitiba.

See here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJR9uCSyGKM) for an excellent video on BRT in Curitiba.

Land use is critical for optimal transit use with higher modes of transportation. LANTA is partnering with Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) to dedicate resources to educate the community and municipalities concerning land use and transit oriented design issues.

The Valley already has much of what is needed for an exceptional BRT in place already, but it is not consistent in key corridors.

The Moving LANTA Forward plan calls for service and capital improvements in the short and intermediate terms along “trunk” corridors which can act as a foundation for a future LANTA BRT network. Short and intermediate term service improvements along these trunks include enhancements to the frequency of service and the hours service is available. Potential capital improvements include passenger amenities, technology and ‘transit first’ improvements.

A couple of years ago, there was discussion about ‘rail’ and light rail alternatives in the Valley. When Congressman Dent responded and explored the concept with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in Washington, given the population density of the Valley, the FTA recommended exploring BRT as a first step. Congressmen Dent obtained a grant to provide LANTA with funds to examine BRT as an alternative and demonstrate its potential.

LANTA Planning staff is working now to begin this alternatives analysis as well as taking steps to define corridors for future BRT projects. Density remains an issue. The Lehigh Valley’s population is 625,000 within Lehigh and Northampton Counties. In urbanized Curitiba, the population is more than twice that: 1.75 million. With the mature BRT system in place today in Curitiba, 90% of this population is served. One of the questions that has to be answered is which comes first: the density or the higher mode of service?

Talk about Moving LANTA Forward ...

We've just installed the most amazing technology!

It's the trend in the transit industry to purchase and install systems that track city transit vehicles via geographic positioning technology (GPS) that sends information via sattelite to central servers which then display exact vehicle location along bus routes on a Google-type map. Such systems have been available over the past several years in majors cities like New York and Chicago. Well, now this technology is coming to a bus stop near you!

In addition to showing the exact vehicle location, all bus stops along the route are shown and the system interacts with the bus, estimates speed and distance, and defines the estimated time of arrival at each stop along the route. This 'real time' information adjusts according to traffic conditions, weather - whatever affects the speed of the bus - to constantly update the estimated arrival times.

Check it out here in its current test mode.

The system LANTA has installed was designed and developed by Avail Technologies, Inc., of State College, PA. It is a state-of-the-art system that has been deployed in several communities in Pennsylvania. LANTA went out for competitive proposals on this project in 2009 and Avail was the successful contrator and has been installing the software and hardware for the past year.

As one can imagine, a project like this is not only time-consuming but involves a tremendous amout of data collection, input and management. As we've noted in articles previously posted here, the first step of the process was for LANTA staff to physically visit each and every bus stop in the Metro system and 'geocode' the stop. This created a latitude and longitude for each stop so that the system could define it as the bus traveled along its route. We learned that there are 2695 bus stops in the LANTA Metro system (trust us, we counted!)

Other tasks included the creation of a database in a scheduling management software so that each bus route was digitally defined and each vehicle had a unique identity. Hardware was installed on vehicles so that not only would the system 'find' the bus, but the internal electronic data management systems would work together to provide fare, schedule, driver and passenger information along with everything else. This allows Dispatchers to know not only where the bus is located, but how many passengers are on board and if the vehicle is on time and whether or not people are looking to transfer along the route.

In additional to obtaining information online, passengers will be able to view signs at major transfer points that show the real time buses are arriving and departing. A telephone number will be available so that riders can check whether the bus is on schedule or not. And, since so much information is being collected hour after hour, day after day, LANTA planners will be able to modify routes and schedules to respond better to passenger patterns and demand.

The system is in final testing mode now and should be available to the public within a couple of months. Accuracy of the system is obviously crucial, so considerable time is being taken to verify all data.

This system, used in concert with Google Transit, will provide passengers and prospective passengers with volumes of information to make travel on LANTA buses more reliable than ever before. No longer do riders have to trudge to bus stops and 'guess' when the next bus is coming along. They will know.

The benefits of this system are far too numerous to list here but suffice to say, LANTA has moved forward into the 21st in a very robust, hi-tech way!

Update 1/29/2011: The Morning Call's Road Warrior 'discovered' LANTA's venture into cyberspace technology. Click here to read his inciteful and accurate report.

Transit Friendly Wheelchairs

For several years now, all LANTA Metro buses have been fully ADA accessible. A ramp can be deployed at bus stops to allow passengers in wheelchairs to easily board buses. There are, as required by ADA, two wheelchair tie-down areas on every vehicle reserved for people who use mobility devices in order to travel independently. Here is some advice on obtaining a mobility device that is safe to use on public transportation vehicles.

Section 37.3 of the DOT’s regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (49 CFR Parts 27, 37, and 38) defines a "common wheelchair" as a mobility aid belonging to any class of three or four-wheeled devices, usable indoors, designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether operated manually or powered. A "common wheelchair" does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length measured two inches above the ground, and does not weigh more than 600 pounds when occupied.

Transit wheelchairs that can be used most safely on a city transit bus, will have four identifiable and crash-tested securement points to which tie-down straps can be easily attached. If it is not possible to use a transit wheelchair, the next best choice is a wheelchair with an accessible metal frame to which tie-down straps can be attached at frame junctions.

Before you purchase a wheelchair, ask if the model you are looking at meets ANSI/RESA WC/19 Standards. If you already have a wheelchair, check with your dealer to see if the model you own meets these standards.

A properly positioned headrest on the wheelchair will help protect the head and neck. If it is necessary to use an added head and neck support during travel, soft neck collars are safer than stiff collars or head straps which could cause neck injury in a crash. The soft collar should not be attached to the seating system.

Transit vehicles use a four-point tie-down. It is important that your wheelchair be crash tested and meets ANSI/RESNA WC/19 Standards. This system is a universal tie-down that works with a wide range of wheelchairs. This type of system requires the driver to attach the straps for the person seated in the wheelchair.

To provide effective restraint for the person in the wheelchair, a belt restraint must be used. A lap and shoulder belt helps prevent the wheelchair user from being thrown from the vehicle or from hitting the interior of the vehicle during a crash or during emergency driving conditions.

If you do not have a transit wheelchair, it is best if you can attach the tie-downs to welded junctions of the frame or other structural areas where the frame is fastened together with hardened steel bolts. Bus operators are advised to avoid attaching tie-downs to adjustable or removable parts of the wheelchair – that may include armrests, leg-rests and wheels.

On non-transit wheelchairs, structural securement points as high as possible but below the seat surface will be used as a tie down. This is done to provide as much stability during travel as possible.

In addition to securing the wheelchair, your bus operator will also require that you use a crash-tested lap and shoulder belt. Some wheelchair hardware, such as an armrest, can interfere with a good lap belt fit. Bus operators will not place the lap belt over an armrest.

Everyone wants to be safe riding public transit. Some common sense will go a long way towards achieving that goal for everyone.

Keeping the Message Simple - Malcolm Gladwell, author of “OUTLIERS” (a good read!)

“There is an enormous amount of power in the concept of the public good,” said Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author of The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers: The Story of Success. That was his message when he spoke at the APTA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX. And the most effective ways to harness that concept—in this case, convey to the public the importance of public transportation—are to keep the message simple, use appealing stories and appropriate images, and if possible, find a charismatic spokesperson.

He cited the example of seatbelts, noting that initially, U.S. drivers strongly resisted using them, considering them an “unwarranted government intrusion” into their lives. Once advocates shifted the message from attempting to influence adults to promoting the use of children’s car seats, the children then became advocates for seatbelts, and the percentage of adults using them rose from 15 percent to 65 percent. “Approaching the issue from a different way made all the difference in people’s willingness to respond,” he stressed.

Another way Gladwell proposed to frame the message is to emphasize social and economic equality. “Public transit is a vehicle of economic equality and opportunity—the same access to jobs, education, and cultural events to everybody, regardless of resources. A way we make our society a united and equal place …. isn’t only about taking people from point A to point B; it’s something far grander and more crucial and central to the American dream.”

Gladwell talked at length about how the 1955 bus boycott in Montgomery, AL, created an unusual partnership with workers and religious institutions—with the goal of civil rights equality. People needed to ride the bus to and from work, and “for the bus to be segregated was the ultimate inequality … The boycott was about the dignity of workers.” So churches became bus “stations,” and religious leaders organized transportation to ensure that the workers kept their jobs. “You can reframe what you do in such a way that you can bring in allies who may never have thought they were allies,” he said.

He also pointed to public transit as a “public good,” similar to parks, schools, and other benefits that improve the general quality of life, as opposed to “private goods” owned by individuals. “People are getting fed up with the current emphasis on private goods,” he said. “If you talk to people and listen, you find they’re talking about public goods.” Gladwell continued: “If you have $1 billion, you have all the private goods you can acquire. There’s nothing more that will make your life better that you can purchase for yourself. The only ways in which your life could improve—cleaner air, fewer potholes, less crime—are all public goods.” For that reason, he added, the wealthiest citizens should support paying more taxes to support the common good, much as they did in the 1950s as America rebuilt itself after World War II.

Public transit professionals “need to make a much stronger argument that public goods will be more beneficial than buying things as individuals,” he said. “What would really make your life better? I’d like better schools for my kids, a shorter commute time, I want my kids to be able to play outside without worrying—all parts of being a community.”

BY SUSAN BERLIN, Senior Editor, APTA Passenger Transport