3 ms·

To add to your list, I think cities need better options for last mile transport. A big issue with public transit is that it gets you to the ballpark of where y

by dagmx 3y ago

To add to your list, I think cities need better options for last mile transport. A big issue with public transit is that it gets you to the ballpark of where you want to go but your commute from there might still be lengthy enough that you need to call an Uber anyway. A lot of cities tend to have really great main trunk transit, but things get really sparse coming off of the trunks. Having better options for spreading out from the trunks would really help

warning26 3y ago
The “last mile” problem you mention isn’t really a transit problem, it’s an urban design problem. In a properly designed area, anywhere you’d likely want to go would be walkable from a transit stop. This is often non-obvious to people who grew up in car-centric areas, where everything is necessarily spaced exceedingly far apart to make room for parking.
- dagmx 3y ago
  I think it’s both, because I see it as chicken and egg. Good urban design goes hand in hand with good transit route designs. Often one ends up having to accommodate the flaws in the other.
- politelemon 3y ago
  You just made me appreciate London city's design, I usually get to where I need and then walk from 1 to 20 minutes. I appreciate the chance to walk as it's often nice and leafy. I will stop taking it for granted.
turtlebits 3y ago
Hong Kong has minibuses, which are smaller in size and make more frequent shorter loops. Not sure how viable they are in less dense cities.
- contingencies 3y ago
  Much of Africa also, eg. in Tunisia they are known as louage and constitute the primary form of public transport. In mainland China they are called "breadvans" (面包车).
eesmith 3y ago
> I think cities need better options for last mile transport. I think the point is that developed cities don't need that, because there are very few places which require that much walking. I used Google Maps to find routes around Copenhagen. Very few of them required more than 10 minutes total walking. Even fewer required that much walking once I switched to Monday commute time rather than Sunday evening. For underdeveloped cities, which is nearly all of the US, Mordisquitos' "more capacity and better and more efficient networks" includes what you termed "last mile transport". > lengthy enough that you need to call an Uber anyway. That's also a cultural thing. I had a high school friend living in Amsterdam describing other Americans coming to visit. They decided a 6 block walk was too much, so they got a taxi/Uber.
- dagmx 3y ago
  What would a developed city be though? I’ve lived in San Francisco and Vancouver, stayed in Seattle and LA. They’re all difficult for last mile (though Vancouver is by far the best.) they’re all quite developed though. I think it’s more about density. It’s easy to get around in New York, and London is probably my high bar.
  - eesmith 3y ago
    With Google Maps, I'm having a hard time finding a place in San Francisco which requires a 1 mile walk between the last transit stop and home. The limit seems to be about 1/2 mile, or about a 10 minute walk. Or, about the 6 blocks I mentioned in my earlier anecdote, where Dutch people easily walk while Americans hail a ride.

by dagmx 3y ago

warning26 3y ago

The “last mile” problem you mention isn’t really a transit problem, it’s an urban design problem. In a properly designed area, anywhere you’d likely want to go would be walkable from a transit stop. This is often non-obvious to people who grew up in car-centric areas, where everything is necessarily spaced exceedingly far apart to make room for parking.

dagmx 3y ago
I think it’s both, because I see it as chicken and egg. Good urban design goes hand in hand with good transit route designs. Often one ends up having to accommodate the flaws in the other.
politelemon 3y ago
You just made me appreciate London city's design, I usually get to where I need and then walk from 1 to 20 minutes. I appreciate the chance to walk as it's often nice and leafy. I will stop taking it for granted.

turtlebits 3y ago

Hong Kong has minibuses, which are smaller in size and make more frequent shorter loops. Not sure how viable they are in less dense cities.

contingencies 3y ago
Much of Africa also, eg. in Tunisia they are known as louage and constitute the primary form of public transport. In mainland China they are called "breadvans" (面包车).

eesmith 3y ago

> I think cities need better options for last mile transport. I think the point is that developed cities don't need that, because there are very few places which require that much walking. I used Google Maps to find routes around Copenhagen. Very few of them required more than 10 minutes total walking. Even fewer required that much walking once I switched to Monday commute time rather than Sunday evening. For underdeveloped cities, which is nearly all of the US, Mordisquitos' "more capacity and better and more efficient networks" includes what you termed "last mile transport". > lengthy enough that you need to call an Uber anyway. That's also a cultural thing. I had a high school friend living in Amsterdam describing other Americans coming to visit. They decided a 6 block walk was too much, so they got a taxi/Uber.

dagmx 3y ago
What would a developed city be though? I’ve lived in San Francisco and Vancouver, stayed in Seattle and LA. They’re all difficult for last mile (though Vancouver is by far the best.) they’re all quite developed though. I think it’s more about density. It’s easy to get around in New York, and London is probably my high bar.
- eesmith 3y ago
  With Google Maps, I'm having a hard time finding a place in San Francisco which requires a 1 mile walk between the last transit stop and home. The limit seems to be about 1/2 mile, or about a 10 minute walk. Or, about the 6 blocks I mentioned in my earlier anecdote, where Dutch people easily walk while Americans hail a ride.