Bad Air Equals Free Bus

Monday, March 02, 2009 11:11 PM

Prince George, B.C.- The City is going to try something new in an effort to reduce vehicle emissions during an air quality advisory.

For one year, free transit will be offered on days when there is an air quality advisory.

City staff believe this approach will have the affect of reducing private vehicle operation during events and potentially recruiting new transit riders who may not otherwise be familiar

with the transit services.

Seeing as how there are, on average, 12 air quality advisory days per year, it would cost the City just under $14,000 in lost revenue.

To measure the success of providing free transit on days where air quality advisories are issued, it is proposed that City staff work with Prince George Transit to provide a base count on Route 88 and 89 (Hart/Westgate Routes). These routes have been selected because of their high volume usage. The base count will then be compared to counts taken on day when air advisories are issued to measure the success of this initiative.

"I think its a clear indication we are looking at every possible way to reduce impact" says Mayor Dan Rogers.

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Posted on Monday, March 02, 2009 11:11 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: jonnypg on March 2 2009 11:56 PM

See, now the city is losing money....what is wrong with these people.Reduce impact on "what" Mr mayor.

Posted by: gus on March 3 2009 1:04 AM

Okay class. What is missing in the equation?

Well Sir. I think what is missing is:

1. the count of vehicles on the road on non air advisory days versus air advisory days.

2. the effect of the quality of the air in the city.

And how do you propose to get that information and see whether there has been a change from what would have been the outcome if bus rides had not been free.

Gee, Sir. I dunno know.

-----------------

Looks like this is one of those cases where we will pay $14,000 to make us feel all cuddly and good about how we are making a difference. Who cares whether we really are. Lets put this along with the idea of idle free zones.

Where do they get these people from? Unbelieveable!!

Posted by: Green on March 3 2009 7:16 AM

Perhaps if Canfor asked its employees to take the bus to work on advisory days it might make a difference too!

I think its a great idea - way to go Mr Rogers

Posted by: metalman on March 3 2009 7:43 AM

City council, like so many others, have fallen for the 'green' agenda. All those in the know claim that we have to spend a lot of money and resources changing everything to what is today seen as environmentally friendly. What about the cost to the environment for all the 'old' things they want us to discard? For example, get rid of your gas guzzler, and buy a hybrid, yeah, that will save the planet. I guess the hybrid cars don't use any resources in their manufacture, right?
Old fashioned? YES.
metalman.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on March 3 2009 7:47 AM

Idle free zone?

Idling cost money so I left my car idling while I went into city hall to get gas money from the city.

Needless to say I'm not idling my car anymore if the city isn't paying for it, free or not!

Posted by: Dozer on March 3 2009 12:41 PM

When I read some of the idiot remarks that come out of these peoples mouths I remember the line my father used when I was young.(remember to make sure your brain is in gear before putting your mouth in gear)I wonder how many people will park there cars for 10 or 15 days a year when there is a warning. How much would that change their commuting habits to get a free 3.00 bus ride ? I hope the new mayor and council grow up and wake up soon or up will go our taxes again...

Posted by: Windigo on March 3 2009 11:59 PM

Come on Mr. Mayor....the air in this city is impacted by the auto traffic for sure, but the biggest culprits with the air pollution in this city is the industry that is working within the city limits....deal with these guys first. You will have a greater impact.
This is starting to smell like the documentary "Who Killed The Electric Car". Don't let big business dictate your health or your life expectancy....this is what they are doing to all of us right now.
We need to "Take Back The Night" so to speak. It's kind of funny but I was talking to a friend from Mackenzie the other day and he was saying that he had been doing a lot of walking because he could not afford the gas to drive much anymore (he lost his job over a year ago). He was saying how cold it was outside but be said "you know...the air sure smells fresh and clean without the pulp and paper mills running"
Just a comment, he was not saying that they should remain down, he just wanted to make the point of how big of an impact these industries have on air quality.

Posted by: acrider54 on March 4 2009 5:48 AM

Idle free, free bus rides. If the city and everyone was so concerned about the air and idle free zones, time the lights down the bypass! light goes green at 5th, goes red at 10th, goes green at 10th, goes red at 15th, goes green at 15th, goes red at 22nd, goes green at at 22nd and goes red for 10 minutes at 97 and 16. Stop at every light and idle away.

Posted by: BCRacer on March 4 2009 7:06 AM

A wonderful idea with what appears to be a big GOTTCHA built in. The day starts out with a air warning so you decide to take the bus...a wind comes along and blows away the polution, well for a minute anyways, and the bus is no longer free....so there you sit... now you have to pay to get home...sounds like a new sneaky way to get our money....
If the day starts out as a free bus day...
it should end up that way.....
these schemers should realize that some of us may have been born at night...but just not last night!

Posted by: Catfood on March 4 2009 12:16 PM

I think that on thoes days where there is bad air, one should drive themselves. Opposed to taking transit....One would have to walk sometimes a few blocks to a bus stop and then wait for the bus....all the while breathing in all that foul air, and what about if you allready have breathing problems? Then if you can't get off the bus close to where you work, you would have to spend more time out in the foul air walking to your work site and then to do it all again that day at quitting time....If you didn't have breathing problems before.....If you drove yourself, you could just go from your door to the car and spend less time out in ti yourself...What is that old saying?..CHAIRTY BEGINS AT HOME?....LOOK AFTER YOURSELF......HELP YOURSELF....no one else will.