More Trains

Interesting goings on in Philadelphia. Apparently electric trolleys now have the flexibility of being able to maneuver “off the wire” for decent stretches. This really boosts their value for mass transit because, while they still don’t quite offer the flexibility of bus lines, they are significantly cheaper to operate than even diesel fueled buses.

From the linked article:

Trackless trolleys cost $2.54 per mile to operate and maintain, compared with $2.76 for diesel buses, according to SEPTA.

Nonetheless, SEPTA has stuck to its 2006 decision – made over Philadelphia’s objections – not to buy 23 more trackless trolleys to restore service in South Philadelphia. SEPTA managers say they prefer buses, which are cheaper to buy and more flexible to run.

“For an authority of this size, which has about 1,300 buses, the capital costs and upkeep costs for a small fleet of trolleys – it simply isn’t practical,” SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said. And he said the cost of electricity, capped until 2010, could rise after that and increase trolley expenses.

But the concern about the possible rise in the cost of electricity seems like a bit of backward thinking to me. Unless I am missing something, cities are already spending massive amounts of money and indeed seeing budget shortfalls because of rapidly rising fuel costs. In 2003, SEPTA, the Philadelphia Transportation Authority was spending 12.8 million a year on fuel. They’ve had to budget 57.1 million for the coming fiscal year.

Transit planning decisions can often be more complex than they appear on the surface. I get that. I also get that transportation authorities tend to prioritize issues of practicality in a way that city boards often do not. Moreover, the trolleys have their limitations and indeed electricity may become more expensive in a couple of years.

But even given those factors, this does not seem like a tough call to me. At worst, SEPTA will be paying slightly higher upfront costs for a cleaner, quieter transit system that will absolutely cost them less per year well past 2010 and more than that, will offer very predictable costs. Fuel costs are proving to be far less predictable. The city definitely seem to prefer the trolleys. Riders prefer the trolleys. What’s the issue here really?

Tags:   buses · diesel · electric trolley · Philadelphia · SEPTA · trackless trolleyNo Comments