Several comments on our PRT column “The Trouble With ‘Mass’ Transit” have been posted under the headings “Partial to PRT” and “Grab Your Flintlock…” below. Others have been sent directly to S/PI. As is usually the case, the most thoughtful comments both pro and con come from those who send us information directly.
(This is an interesting comment on the value and impact of Blogging which we will explore in a future column.)
One especially good critique by a professional who is actually developing a PRT system lists a number of additional sources and perspectives. We will not expose him to PRT Loonies but are forwarding his thoughts to those who are serious about the topic.
The last issue that is clouding the future of PRTs which we raised in “The Trouble With ‘Mass’ Transit as a was that the topic of PRTs is a “MAGNET FOR LOONIES.”
It turns that in 1956 the leaders of what we call the Autonomobility Lobby (automobiles, oil, rubber, concrete, asphalt, steel, land speculation, large lot urban home building, Realtors, lawyers and other agents of all stripes.) sat around their square table and adopted a Profit Finding:
“We have now eliminated interurbans and trolleys, decimated passenger rail service and put trucks on the road to eroding freight rail service. The Interstate Defense Highway system is now rolling with a dedicated funding source. The next priority is to establish a clandestine institution that lies in wait to discredit any idea that might challenge the private-vehicle system upon which the “American Dream” (aka, the “American Consumption Nightmare”) and our future revenue stream is based.”
The rest is history. The resulting Business-As-Usual Institute (BAUI) has adopted hard-to-trace but effective diversions. For instance, if a group insists on the need for “mass transit” they are steered toward inefficient 19th century systems. Much of the cost of BAUI is covered by excess profits from the sale of automobiles, imported petroleum and from contracts to study mobility and access dysfunction and to design and build “solutions.” See notes on Raytheon / Rosemont, ILL. and on PUBLIC PORK AND PRIVATE PAYOLA in “The Trouble With ‘Mass’ Transit.”
We open our column “What is Wrong With ‘Mass’ Transit,” with the observation that “the failure of mass transit” is a favorite way to champion Autonomobility projects. For an example of how BAUI agents spin the “failure” of “mass transit” to sell road construction, HOT Lanes or other ideas see the 10 May posting “Walker Pours Withering Scorn…”
Contrary to what Chris Walker suggests, without METRO there would be absolute gridlock in the National Capital Subregion because of the focus of jobs near the Centroid. Using the percent of total trips as a metric to minimize the impact of METRO is a Bright Red Herring. BAUI has a monopoly on the fabrication and importation Red Herring of all shades.
Over the past few years, S/PI has become keenly aware of the actions of BAUI. As readers of Bacon’s Rebellion know, BAUI agents are trained to attack any suggestion that functional human settlement patterns can be created. This is because of the direct link between these patterns and efficient shared-vehicle systems in large New Urban Regions.
After extensive research it turns out the existence of BAUI is well documented and can be understood by deciphering the Norman Rockwell Code.
Because agents are equipped with the latest data mining technology and “PRT” sets off their system alarms we shall henceforth call the PRT systems “Non-Stop Shared-Vehicle Systems with Off-Line Stations” This phrase will trigger a clear Neural Linguistic Framework which should be as effective as “Ben and George’s Kiwi Downunder Strategy” is for property taxation. By the time BAUI moves to discredit the concept, citizens will already be aware of the importance of “Non-Stop Shared-Vehicle Systems with Off-Line Stations” – NSSVSOLS for short.
EMR