

Worlds longest bus seats 256 passengers - ghshephard
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/world-longest-bus-seats-256-people-222517479.html

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mc32
I can't see this working in San Francisco. Too many turns (there are enough
bus-on-ped accidents) and hills (a lot of braking power to stop a full load).
The only case scenario where I can see this working is as a BRT in a straight
boulevard with a dedicated lane so there is no need to pass or "cut off" any
other vehicles.

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wherewhenwhy
And yet SF MUNI runs those double-section buses (hello, 38 Geary). I don't see
the point of those, BTW. Unless they're meant to turn the tight corners.

With the dedicated lane you almost have BART.

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derekp7
The article states that the main draw of this bus is it caries a large number
of passengers, yet is cheaper than a train. But is it much cheaper than buying
3 regular size buses? Other than the cost of two additional drivers, that is?

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tokenadult
_Other than the cost of two additional drivers, that is?_

I can't speak for the situation in Germany, but in several cities of the
United States (I live in one of them), the salaries of bus drivers are
ASTOUNDING, and their total compensation packages are a big part of the
expense of providing public transportation. So, yes, if you think public
transportation provides important externalities to a whole community, and you
also are not interested in trying to hire new bus drivers who will work for
less than the current contract rate negotiated with the bus driver union, then
what you try to do is find a way for one bus driver to serve more riders.

~~~
bunderbunder
I wouldn't say astounding; at least not in all capitals. In Chicago, which has
some of the highest-paid drivers in the nation, bus drivers make about $60k
plus benefits.

In the USA, that's right on the nose for a white male with some higher
education under his belt. It's mainly an outlier if considered along with
certain demographic elephants in the room.

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dalke
BLS says the average yearly salary for "Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity" in
"Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI" is $41,040. For "Chicago-Joliet-
Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division" it's $41,320. (See
<http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_16974.htm> for the latter.)

Two years ago I see that "At $28.64 an hour, the top wage rate for Chicago
Transit Authority bus drivers ranks third-highest among U.S. transit agencies,
according to an analysis conducted for the Tribune." BLS reports the median
and mean are $21.06 and $19.87, respectively.

This means the highest paid bus driver in Chicago makes $56,200 per year. Plus
benefits, of course. It's definitely the outlier wage.

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bunderbunder
Yup, I'm working off the same $28.64 number as you. I fudged the numbers so I
could do them in my head, and didn't realize that's the highest-paid driver.

Thanks for the correction.

