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Are gas prices fueling your pain? - READ ONLY

10042 messages,  Last post on Jul 12, 2008 at 3:07 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires

What is this discussion about? Fuel Efficiency (MPG)


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#9983 of 10042
Re: But we still are a problem... [xrunner2] by gagrice
Jul 10, 2008 (7:26 am)

Replying to: xrunner2 (Jul 10, 2008 5:55 am)

A fare on a bus half-full would cost twice as much as a fare on a full-bus run
 
San Diego Transit is doing an interesting thing. On the heavy morning and evening runs to our little town the fare is $5.25. The mid morning and early afternoon run is $2.75. They also have monthly passes that would save a lot of money. It still does not solve the problem of empty or nearly empty buses polluting the air.
#9984 of 10042
Re: But we still are a problem... [gagrice] by fezo
Jul 10, 2008 (7:43 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Jul 10, 2008 7:26 am)

Doesn't solve the problem but it's the direction to move - trying to give incentives to folks who can work with different hours. The idea is like the charging per passenger but done in a way to ensure predictable prices.
 
I wonder where the gas price is that will start really putting people into mass transit? I admit I'd rather not find out.
#9985 of 10042
Re: But we still are a problem... [steve_] by xrunner2
Jul 10, 2008 (7:48 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Jul 10, 2008 6:57 am)

A better example may be Mexico, a country where most people can't afford gas, much less a car to put the gas in. Eight years ago we parked our car in Tucson and caught a bus south, and went to Cancun. We took 2+ months to get there,
 
Need a lot of flexibility for 2 month bus trip. Were buses like Romancing the Stone bus on mountain in Columbia, with lots of people carrying odd things such as chickens?
 
Public not-for-profit transportation has to do a much better job at scheduling "and" filling the buses, train cars, etc. Have many, many times in past years seen small amount of passengers (1,2,3, 4...) on full-size public buses, both in semi-rural and suburban settings. When fuel was cheap and plentiful, obviously didn't matter. But, not today.
#9986 of 10042
Re: Decent [flash11] by kdhspyder
Jul 10, 2008 (7:59 am)

Replying to: flash11 (Jul 10, 2008 4:20 am)

The US is great for many reasons, having the opportunity to get ahead is one of them.
 
I agree with much of what you said but this statement sticks out for me.
 
In times of change that is often when the most money can be made by those with a clear balanced view of what could happen in the future. These people are often called visionaries but they are also entrpreneurs. Right now there is a fantastic opportunity to make a fortune giving the US public what it wants in terms of fuel availability. All the alternate fuel sources you noted are certainly immediate opportunities to 'get ahead'.
 
Pessimism serves no purpose. Optimism see opportunities in everything. Just Do It! ( to borrow a phrase )
#9987 of 10042
Re: But we still are a problem... [xrunner2] by steve_ HOST
Jul 10, 2008 (8:05 am)

Replying to: xrunner2 (Jul 10, 2008 7:48 am)

Most of the buses we rode were clean and newer. There are some second class buses with the odd chicken. But there are so many buses on the roads, you literally can wander into most any small town bus station and be on your way within an hour or so. Several times we'd walk in and be on a bus within 5 minutes.
 
Schedules are posted all over so it's easy to plan if you don't have much flexibility. A few times we just did a flag stop and got on a bus that way.
 
It wasn't much different in Italy last year when we went over for a week or so - took a train for a couple of hours, then bused around until it was time to train back to the airport.
 
We're meeting friends in Chicago in a few weeks and they get to take the train - we're stuck with flying (not enough time to drive). I keep waiting for Northwest to call and say our flight has been cancelled.
 
If gas does double in price, maybe that will make more public transportation options feasible just from the economics - the last thing I need when I get to Chicago is a car (already got a transist pass in the mail)
#9988 of 10042
Re: But we still are a problem... [steve_] by lemko
Jul 10, 2008 (9:20 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Jul 10, 2008 6:57 am)

Trailways is gone? I remember when I was a kid in the early 1970s I used to take a lot of bus trips with my Mom on Continental Trailways in very classy buses called the Silver Eagle or the Golden Eagle. The buses were red and white with gleaming stainless steel sides. Heck, even the driver was smartly dressed. He looked more like an airline pilot than a bus driver.
 
There are a lot of smaller regional bus companies, but I bet they're now being decimated by psychopathic pump prices.
#9989 of 10042
Re: Trade in the 05 Silverado for an 08 ? [nippononly] by 2doorpost
Jul 10, 2008 (9:56 am)

Replying to: nippononly (Jul 09, 2008 7:03 am)

I would have thought the product would have at least remained consistant
#9990 of 10042
Re: But we still are a problem... [steve_] by xrunner2
Jul 10, 2008 (10:53 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Jul 10, 2008 8:05 am)

If gas does double in price, maybe that will make more public transportation options feasible just from the economics - the last thing I need when I get to Chicago is a car
 
Disregard if done already. For a 2-3 hour view, afternoon or evening, of the most spectacular skyline in the world, try Odyssey cruise boat (at Navy Pier) on Lake Michigan. Cruise has dinner/drinks option.
 
Read somewhere that some personal boats in $200-$300K price range only get one mile to the gallon of fuel. But, people in this bracket could probably care less about the price of fuel.
 
A few months ago, read that Illinois Governor made provision for those of senior age (65+) to ride free on Chicago buses, EL trains subway. Pretty good deal for them.
#9991 of 10042
Re: But we still are a problem... [xrunner2] by fezo
Jul 10, 2008 (11:03 am)

Replying to: xrunner2 (Jul 10, 2008 10:53 am)

Oh, that boat sounds like a great deal. Chicago is a great city and just beautiful from the lake.
 
All I have to do is convince the family that would be a good vacation...
#9992 of 10042
Re: But we still are a problem... [lemko] by steve_ HOST
Jul 10, 2008 (11:04 am)

Replying to: lemko (Jul 10, 2008 9:20 am)

Greyhound acquired Continental Trailways in '87 but the other ~80 Trailways franchises are still around. They seem to focus on charters and local hauls. You can't even get a "Trailways" schedule from their web site.
 
The Green Tortoise is still going strong I guess.

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