This is a rarity...

St Cloud MN - An article in the St. Cloud Times which was penned by the executive director, David Trip, for the St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) is a rarity. Not so much for it's content but for actually being published as it goes against popular opinion and newspapers tend to ignore such stories as this one.

Basically the article tells why the MTC doesn't run smaller cutaway style buses and actually goes into a few details to explain it.

Too often, reporters are busy echoing the public misconception of smaller is better when it comes to motor vehicles. This misconception comes directly from the environmental movement who has, for decades, tried to persuade the public that bigger vehicles are bad for the environment while smaller vehicles are better and will save the environment. *cough* Toyota Prius *cough*

While Mr. Tripp is right on the money, I wish he would have made a bit clearer the information on operating cost. As I have also tried explaining this to many brain dead Liberals that were screaming for smaller buses on various routes where I live, I am well aware that they have no concept of what operating costs mean.

Operating costs means fuel, maintenance, insurance, operator and mechanic wages as well as a few other obscure costs all rolled into one convenient term. What needs to be brought to the forefront however is fuel use. Just saying the operating cost is no different between a large and small bus doesn't really break down the idea properly.

For example, the general public truly believes that a smaller bus uses less fuel than a larger bus but they do understand that the costs of wages remain the same.

The truth of the matter is that there is virtually no difference in fuel use between a small cutaway van and a heavy duty 40 foot bus. The only real difference is if the transit system went from 60 foot articulated coached to a 25 foot cutaway. Then and only then would you notice an overall fuel savings. That's hardly a practical solution to public transit however as if your running articulated coaches, you more than likely have the ridership for it and cutaways couldn't handle the load.

Also, too many people don't quite understand the concept that transit systems need to be set up for peak hour service and can't have an off-peak fleet and a peak fleet. That would drive the cost of providing service out of the range of most everyone that depends on the service.

One thing mentioned in the article is something even I never gave much though to and that is safety. Going with the smaller cutaway vans that many people call for because they think larger buses are a waste of money and use more fuel, your putting the riders at greater risk during an accident.

The article is a great read and chock full of useful facts to help better understand why transit systems run big buses on low ridership routes. While focusing on the St. Cloud MTC, it is easily adaptable to any transit system. I encourage you to read David Tripp's column.