Bio-Diesel Shuttle Project for DT Tulsa...

[brunoflipper]

Saw this on fb... looks like a great concept.

"A couple of links to a fundraising campaign for an awesome new biodiesel shuttle service that will soon be running at night in DT/18th & Boston Bar Loop...
Kick in and get some great perks!

http://igg.me/p/173661?a=882167
http://www.gofundme.com/wkcwo"


Nerd-alert: Looks like they bought a Chance RT52 which was the model bus used in the old Wiki-Wiki Shuttle in Honolulu Airport that Ward Cunningham used as his inspiration for the name "Wikipedia"

[BKDotCom]

Bigger nerd alert:
Ward Cunningham doesn't/didn't have anything to do with wikipedia.   Wikipedia is a wiki (a site where users can add/modify content).   Ward Cunningham invented the wiki.

"Wiki" (pronounced [ˈwiti] or [ˈviti]) is a Hawaiian word meaning "fast" or "quick"

[brunoflipper]

Touché. I got that from Wikipedia. Ironic.

[sgrizzle]

... soon be running at night in DT/18th & Boston Bar Loop...

A downtown shuttle that runs at night-time only. As smart an idea as "lunch only" restaurants in downtown. Not to mention, this had been tried and failed before.

[brunoflipper]

You've got to start somewhere...
In any sutuation, I hate the argument that, "it failed before so it can't possibly work now."
Perhaps, it wasn't done correctly and that's why it failed?
If they can mitigate a significant portion of the recurring costs (i.e. fuel), it might be economically viable.

[nathanm]

Ward Cunningham invented the wiki.

And if he'd named it touché, it would be called touchépedia instead.

[swake]

And if he'd named it touché, it would be called touchépedia instead.

And if a certain clown had started it, it would be called douchepidia.

[RecycleMichael]

If I started it, I would have called it Mike-ipedia. That is my nickname at trivia nights.

[carltonplace]

And if a certain clown had started it, it would be called douchepidia.

Ooh...have to register that quick: douchepidia.com.org

[Townsend]

Ooh...have to register that quick: douchepidia.com.org

.us.gov.me.you.tv

[TheTed]

The reason I never rode the previous incarnation of the bar district bus was a lack of information. No schedules. No way to indicate whether it was still in business. No way of knowing if the operator had gotten sick and taken the weekend off.

Nobody's gonna ride any form of transit if they don't know if/when the next one is coming.

[Conan71]

You've got to start somewhere...
In any sutuation, I hate the argument that, "it failed before so it can't possibly work now."
Perhaps, it wasn't done correctly and that's why it failed?
If they can mitigate a significant portion of the recurring costs (i.e. fuel), it might be economically viable.

What troubles me about the viability is this:

We need $6500 to purchase the used diesel bus we've already found at a steal and convert it to bio-diesel.

Perhaps bar owners and restauranteurs (yes, I noted the thanks to the folks at the Merc for contributions) would do well to contribute to the venture.  The only other viability issue I see is what the demand is going from venue to venue if someone doesn't live downtown.  That would be really the only two uses for it: residents of downtown going out or someone going from place to place.  How many people does that appeal to?  I know in the past we would take Lund's trolley from dinner or drinks before a show somewhere else, but that's a rare occurrence for me.

[Red Arrow]

Nobody's gonna ride any form of transit if they don't know if/when the next one is coming.

They probably won't ride if they have to wait too long either.

[Red Arrow]

Perhaps bar owners and restauranteurs (yes, I noted the thanks to the folks at the Merc for contributions) would do well to contribute to the venture.  The only other viability issue I see is what the demand is going from venue to venue if someone doesn't live downtown.  That would be really the only two uses for it: residents of downtown going out or someone going from place to place.  How many people does that appeal to?  I know in the past we would take Lund's trolley from dinner or drinks before a show somewhere else, but that's a rare occurrence for me.

This is also the chicken/egg situation.  If we got rid of a lot of surface parking, a shuttle/circulator bus or trolley would be used.  We can't get rid of the surface parking (as much as we should) until there is circulator transit to get around. 

[TheArtist]

This is also the chicken/egg situation.  If we got rid of a lot of surface parking, a shuttle/circulator bus or trolley would be used.  We can't get rid of the surface parking (as much as we should) until there is circulator transit to get around.  

Thats where the idea of, instead of spending millions on new parking garages, we instead put the money towards a downtown circulator route.  No the route won't be used all the time and there will be times when the bus is empty, but the same thing holds true with parking garages.

1. Determine a dedicated route and put it on maps around downtown.
2. Have unique looking bus shelters/stops on the route that also act as info centers for times of operation and amount of time before bus arrives.
3. Make the bus readily identifiable and distinct looking.
4. Promotional/awareness campaign on radio, tv and signage around town.  (which would also act to promote downtown in general)

The above act similarly to rail in that your showing through the investment in the  "infrastructure" of shelters/stops, signage, unique busses, etc.  that your serious about transit.  This would help alleviate the desire for more parking downtown and would free up developers from having to put in as much, or any, parking as they would otherwise thus making all types of development downtown more affordable to build, rent and sell.  This begins to allow for more true, pedestrian/transit friendly density and begins to bend the parking demand growth curve downward and transit demand growth curve up.

Make sure this circulator route crosses over your other, already identified, future dedicated transit routes, like the the tracks (connected to our new multimodal bridge over the river) to allow for gradual expansion and even possible future upgrades to sections of rail.  

This can't work efficiently in isolation.  We need to also begin to develop (through zoning and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan) other pedestrian/transit friendly nodes around the city (Cherry Street,Utica Square area, Brookside, Whittier Square area, Pearl District, etc.).  This will greatly enhance the urban experience in that your getting far more people within easy walking/biking distance of transit and thus every other district and downtown.  One should eventually be able to live in, work in, shop in, visit, any of these areas, including downtown, and be able to quickly get to all the others on readily identifiable routes.  What this does is allow for further density in all those areas.  A person can live in urban housing of all sorts, that has very little or no parking, for their "accessible world" for shopping, dining, working, play, etc. includes every other area.  You increase the number of people in all areas that don't need or use cars as much, and don't need or use parking as much.  You also will begin to see other businesses and ideas pop up like shared cars, quick rent cars, etc. Private pedicabs and jitneys will become more common etc.  

No more parking garages downtown, instead put in the starter bus route and begin to bend the curve, up on pedestrian/transit friendly growth, and down on car dependent growth.