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I'm glad to see the MTA looking into electric buses, this could really help the transit agency...
Quote:
Macon Transit Authority (MTA) is looking into getting three electric buses.
MTA'S CEO Rick Jones explains a federal agency, "Strong Cities and Strong Communities," chose Macon as one of seven cities as part of an effort aimed at improving air quality.
"One of the programs that they are doing is chasing grants for us that will help bring dollars in to help develop Macon, says Jones"
Two bus lines, Proterra and New Flyer, are planning presentations to county and MTA officials.
Proterra is scheduled do an electric bus demonstration Wednesday, June 17. New Flyer will do an electric bus demonstration later this month.
The bus companies are hoping they can win the MTA contract to build the electric buses.
I don't need to come to Weeping Woods defense, as I'm sure he/she is capable of doing that. I will say, however, that no one on this forum has the right to arbitrarily complain about someone else's opinion just because we think it's not positive. This is, after all, simply a venue for public and personal expressions. If some find the thought of getting three electric buses for Macon a good thing, then I can't say I'd disagree. But if I had just been mugged or robbed, then I'm definitely going to have my concerns directed elsewhere!
In the final analysis, though, given all of the other obvious issues, can anyone say that the prospect of having so few new buses is going to make much of a difference in this town? Would I move here because I heard Macon has 3 electric conveyances? Short answer is, no, I wouldn't. Would I move here if I thought crime deterrence was getting more attention and the city is safer? Short answer, yes, I probably would.
According to the City-Data profile for Macon since 2000, crime statistics do appear to be getting better in almost every category except murders and rapes. These increased in 2012, the last year showing statistics.
The overall crime rate in 2000 was 661.1, and in 2012 it was 568.8, so the decrease is a significant one, but still way above the U.S. average of 301.1. This would indicate that there's definitely room for improvement, and hopefully this has been occurring.
Finally, I'd like to point out that the Macon forum has few enough regular contributors as it is, and new contributors like Weeping Woods should be welcomed regardless of his/her opinions. Macon is not a homogenous population, and we should not expect our opinions to all be the same.
Last edited by CuriouserGeorge; 06-13-2015 at 09:56 PM..
I don't need to come to Weeping Woods defense, as I'm sure he/she is capable of doing that. I will say, however, that no one on this forum has the right to arbitrarily complain about someone else's opinion just because we think it's not positive.
Well, aren't you doing the same thing?
The thread is about buses; nothing else. It is good news for Macon because; believe it or not Macon has an air pollution problem(smog) coming from factories and automobiles. This is a step in the right direction to improve air quality. You have to start somewhere. I remember when Marta had like 5 buses using propane; now the entire fleet run on propane. Now can you see how this is good news for Macon? Macon is on track to be the first city in the state to eventually/potentially have an electric fleet. In other words, Macon is out front. :-)
Last edited by xDarrylx; 06-14-2015 at 04:15 AM..
Reason: add
I figured that you (or someone else) would say that, and I guess my response is that by doing so you agree with me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xDarrylx
The thread is about buses; nothing else.
And if the thread is supposed to only be about buses, then why would you make a comment otherwise?
The thread is open to all of us, and we are free to discuss, debate, or ignore as we choose. In the absence of facts we're all equal in that respect. If anyone thinks the possibility of getting 3 electric buses is more important than improving the rate of crime, then express why or at least offer something more tangible than a put-down of someone else.
Regarding the possibility of Macon getting three electric buses:
My opinion is that such a small number will have minimal impact on overall pollution levels in Macon, which, according to City-Data was about average in 2012. By contrast, Atlanta, with it's fleet of CNG buses, had a pollution level in 2012 that was significantly worse than normal. Having a fleet of electric buses, combined with a fleet of hybrid or electric city vehicles, however, could possibly have a significant future impact. Most pollution in metropolitan areas comes from personal vehicles, so reducing the numbers of combustion engine cars, increasing the number of electric and hybrid vehicles, and making cities more pedestrian and bike friendly will be the key for areas like Macon which do not have a large manufacturing base.
Due to the use of composite materials during construction, electric buses today are much lighter than combustion engine or CNG buses, offsetting the added weight of the batteries. That's a good thing. Charging stations allow for quick (5-10 minutes) full charges, and as a result, electric buses can essentially run all day. Operating and maintenance costs are also less, so over the long haul, electric and hybrid buses are a cost-effective choice.
I haven't seen the cost of one of these buses, but it surely must be expensive. As the initial article indicated, the buses that Macon hopes to get will be paid for by a government grant of some sort, and it's my understanding that all of Proterra's sale have involved federal assistance of some sort (which I'm not opposed to). Whether or not the city could/would buy these buses on it's own, however, is doubtful. Presumably, the grant would include construction of charging stations as well.
Of the two bus companies mentioned, one is Canadian (New Flyer) with a long history (1930), and the other is American (Proterra) with a short history (2004). The American buses are constructed in South Carolina, which probably gives it an advantage. The buses for both companies are large (35 - 60 feet models), and look pretty cool. I'm sure if I was in town on June 17th, I'd want to watch the scheduled demonstration.
Location: Metro Atlanta (Sandy Springs), by way of Macon, GA
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What examples are people going to use when Macon's new consolidated population statistics are figured? Because the crime rates are going to decreased a lot on paper when that happens.
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It never fails!!!!
