Archive for January 18th, 2008
Bike racks on buses after dark
As most people know, there’s been an issue with the headlights when putting bikes on the new TransLink trolleybuses, and the bike racks on those buses haven’t been accessible after dark. Bonnie Fenton has just spoken to TransLink and apparently the work is currently underway to correct the problem. Many buses have already been done and they should all be good to go by the end of March.
I noticed recently that new buses entering service in Surrey now have a different design of rack
And the new Nova buses have a better front end altogether
UPDATE January 25
Passing along a note recently received by Bonny from Translink
We have been informed by Coast Mountain Bus Company that they expect to have all of the bike racks installed by the end ofMarch (if not sooner). Once this work is complete all of the buses, except Community Shuttle buses, will be able to carry bicycles at night.
We are very sorry for any inconvenience that cyclists have experienced while waiting for the issue to be resolved.
I was unaware of the Community Shuttle issue – there are basically two types of these vans and from my pictures I cannot see a problem
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New fuel rules face roadblocks
Ottawa proposal to phase in tougher rules by 2020 called timid by activists, unrealistic by automakers
Which means they have probably got it about right. As Mark Jaccard noted, if GM had spent its money on research and development instead of law suits when California introduced its fuel efficiency standards, it might still be No 1 – instead of being pushed aside by Toyota, which has been concentrating on building better vehicles ever since it got into the business.
But then Canada may also find that GM has not learned its lesson and will once again resort to a law suit, following the precedent set by the Ethyl Corporation. They are the friendly folk who used to make a lead additive for gasoline that poisoned a couple of generations and reduced their intelligence – which explains a lot, come to think of it. Once the US got the lead out, they turned to other additives including MMT, a neurotoxin banned in the US but allowed in Canada. When BC attempted to get it taken out of our gas, Ethyl responded with a suit based on the Free Trade Act. Tom Gunton (then Deputy Minister at MoE) and Moe Sihota folded – fast. Ethyl, they said, may be lousy chemists but they sure can afford good lawyers. (Incidentally the motor manufacturers also wanted MMT banned as it damaged their catalytic converters and thus increased emissions of common air contaminants.)
If Canada tries tougher standards than the US I expect another Free Trade Act challenge from the US manufacturers. The importers, of course,will already have far more fuel efficient cars than new standards demand ready ahead of time.
More reaction to the transit announcement
And there is also this reaction from the Abbotsford/Mission Times
UPDATE January21 Editorial from the Province
Stephen Rees's blog 