Comments on: Transit Center Design Flaw Prompts Bus Modifications

By: Falsely Accused

Falsely Accused — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 02:33:37 +0000

I was informed by my employer, that you had told them that I was the source for your article. I have never talked to you or contacted you, until today. I have never even read your blog, until today. I would like to meet with you to find out how you acquired my name. Please email me to set up a meeting to discuss this issue.

Thank you,

Falsely Accused

EDITOR NOTE–You are indeed falsely accused. We never mentioned any names other than the official spokesman at Valley Ride. If you are having ANY issues from your employer, please let me know and we will work to provide you with legal counsel. We will declare here and in a court of law that I do not know you, whomever you are and even I, the editor, don’t know the source of the totally accurate information which we posted. Again, no names that I can see in the post.

By: Where's the Beef?

Where's the Beef? — Sun, 03 Apr 2016 13:07:45 +0000

I bet the skid plate is intended to protect something really important… like a propane line.

By: Soccergr8

Soccergr8 — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 06:50:03 +0000

So this was a mole hill? Just read the IDS story. VRT mechanics are removing the aftermarket skidplates so beyond their regular hours of labor (we all have random projects like this come up at work lol) it shouldn’t be a big deal. Perhaps the biggest cost was installing these plates in the first place. Who knows what info or motivations they had at that time to make them alter the buses in this way but who cares? It doesn’t seem like a big deal once you get more of the story…

By: Fumes

Fumes — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 05:49:28 +0000

The two big humps on the top of the buses are compressed gas fuel bottles. Ya have got to be pure genius to allow that much compressed flammable gas into an enclosed underground space.

I think these are the same model of bus that was having problems with catching on fire?

By: Yossarian_22

Yossarian_22 — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 01:20:53 +0000

I remember reviewing all of the various places that Boise/VRT were looking at several years ago. They couldn’t decide on where it was going to be. Each site was going to be a ground level site. Each one looked like a major improvement to the current diamond lane setup they are using now. The public was asked to weigh in. Then, poof…this new site emerged under the US Bank building. Very elaborate and much more expensive than the previous sites, by far. The entry/egress positions are much more harrowing too. I think we could have gone with simpler and cheaper and it would have been fine.

Now, with all that said, I am much more upset with the hanger queen money pit F-35 than I am this transit site.

By: Foothills Rider

Foothills Rider — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 17:15:18 +0000

http://www.engineersedge.com/calculators/machine-design/driving-up-slope/vehicle-driving-slope-forces.htm

What is the slope angle in degrees (see link to calc)? Is a flat landing required, similar to handicap ramps, as that is completely missing…the buses won’t achieve level until well out of the tunnel slope. I foresee visibility problems at the top of a steep slope, when the bus is still angled upward…potential for pedestiran and vehicular conflict…lawsuits to come. Maybe this was intended as a funicular all along, to statisfy that trolley urge.

By: Ever Been Anywhere

Ever Been Anywhere — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 05:29:25 +0000

I have never seen an arrangement like this for bus structures. Perhaps I haven’t been in international, dense, high transit areas, but I’m sure they don’t make this type of mistake in those places.

Anywhere else, the people at large would demand better leadership, decision making, and use of resources. Anywhere else that would have been built into the decision making process.

Not literally anywhere, but anywhere where progress is important and competence is more important.

By: Jan Strough

Jan Strough — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 03:58:12 +0000

I am mad at myself for missing the public comment period.
1. I would seek discourse from the bus drivers. Do you think the bus drivers would be looking forward to a 90 degree turn to enter the ramp? Where is the apron?
2. Degree of incline, based on what I can see in the picture: open air ramp, steep – winter – ice – having to stop at the top of the ramp to wait for traffic, will tires spin out? If so, would the bus slide backwards downthe ramp?
3. Only room for eight buses. Excavation in the construction arena is very costly and cost prohibitive without income expected to reimburse costs. Appears a huge waste of money.
4. Whenever I see a bus it looks 95% empty. My guess, without the facts, is that our current bus transit system is a huge deficit. I always wonder why we don’t have vans instead of big old buses. Our traffic is currently over capacity for the current roadways and buses are not helping the flow of traffic. without the facts, I say, sell the buses.
5. Why do buses have to be stored right off of Main Street? Couldn’t 8 buses be parked at Expo Idaho for free? Once again, I don’t have knowledge of the semantics of bus lines. I am just speaking from common sense and on the outside looking in.
6. Thank you Guardian for allowing rants and raves. I appreciate your article on the construction design flaw.

EDITOR NOTE– Jan, ref your #5 the “staged buses” will be in service awaiting passengers or an empty stall. They won’t be “stored.” The facility at Gowen field is plenty big for parking the off duty buses.

By: Easterner

Easterner — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 22:40:28 +0000

Way to go ValleyRide!

Maybe get rid of the GIANT BUSES!

The photos show how a bus front end drops when they stop to lower the step onto the bus…. that’s some serious money just to accommodate 1 little old lady.

By: JJ

JJ — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 18:37:07 +0000

usually new transit centers are deigned with the future in mind and have capacity for some growth of the system. It is a major lost opportunity for a transit center not yet open, to not even accommodate the current demand and require some routes to stage on the street.

I respect Gardner’s ambition to solve community problems, they filled the hole, they found a home for the transit center when other sites turned VRT down, but the transit seems reversed engineered for the site, not the site being chosen for the transit system needs.