By Pam McConnell
I attended the Broadbent Institute’s “Progress Summit Tour” in Winnipeg, Manitoba on May 10th in the evening and all day May 11th, 2018, and had the pleasure of hearing Taras Grescoe’s talk about transit.
Taras is a Canadian who lives in Montreal with his wife and at least one young child. He is the author of Strap Hanger – saving our cities and ourselves from the automobile. Taras and his family do not own a car. They fulfill all their needs by walking, biking, taking transit and occasionally (e.g.. once or twice a year) by taking a taxi, or renting from the local car co-op. Taras makes it clear that taking transit does not have to be a depressing experience. Transit need not be viewed as a last resort. Fabulous transit models exist and we can learn from them!
According to Taras the key to improving transit is to make buses convenient, comfortable, fast and safe. When that happens a large percentage of citizens will opt to ride transit rather than drive. Unfortunately transit systems tend to be “underfunded, ill-maintained and ill planned”, which discourages transit ridership. The key to an attractive transit system is “plenty of small buses and high frequency.”
The system must include wait stations that are climate controlled, fare pre-payment (to keep bus boarding time to a minimum) and dedicated bus lanes.
Taras said that a transportation plan must be a city housing plan in that, a bus transportation system must be considered when planning all new subdivisions and road, sewer replacements or repair. The transit system must mesh main routes with smaller feeder buses that serve the suburbs. Taras insists that you “don’t try to serve the suburbs with the transit system’s main routes,” adding that “done right, public transit is faster, more comfortable, safer and cheaper than a private automobile”.
By not owning a car, we free ourselves from the required vehicle ownership expenses (i.e. the purchase price, interest on a car loan, on-going maintenance costs, insurance, parking fees and possibly parking or speeding tickets). Individual lives are improved by allowing them to keep more money in their pockets while also leading a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Taras often combines cycling with transit. Many new buses can carry a bike allowing easy commutes that extend beyond the area served by transit.
Taras also pointed out some of the downsides to transit oriented development. He stated that “transit development does not create equity for all, it tends to be more supportive of workers and students.” Transit is also a gentrifying force in that transit development attracts further city development. Small businesses end up “squeezed up” near the stations. Transit development often displaces small long term existing businesses e.g. corner grocer or local coffee shop/restaurant. He gave an example in Toronto which saw the destruction of a large low income housing complex that displaced thousands.
Despite some of the downsides to development initiatives Taras feels that ”by investing in development that includes well-conceived transit we can create more sustainable and, crucially, more civil communities.” When we have walkable communities, benches to sit on and bus rides to share we are more likely to meet and become friends with community members that we might otherwise never have the opportunity to meet. This has the potential to enrich all of our lives.
The dedication in Taras Grescoe’s book “Strap Hanger” speaks volumes about his commitment to transit:
“To Desmond, who arrived, unexpectedly, after his parents rode the 80 bus to the hospital for a routine ultrasound.”