Quote:
Originally Posted by NucksFanInVan
OK, it's such an easy challenge that I have to pick up that gauntlet.
"Layered" service _can_ provide a better option ... but only where the individual services are (a) not resource-limited and (b) the "layering" provides significant time savings.
In this case, the resources _are_ limited. Let's assume, for simplicity, that Translink has a fixed number of buses. Now we can assume that adding an express bus would mean taking out a BLine. So the question becomes: how do you move the most people to their destination with fixed resources?
In systems where "layering" works well, "long-distance" commuters will wait through several "local service" departures to catch the express and still get to their destination faster. But the time savings of express over B Line are minimal. People destined for Broadway station will NOT pass up a normal BLine to wait for the next express.
On the other hand, people destined for points west of Broadway station won't get on an express bus because they can't get off at their stop. They will have to wait for the next B Line.
So, BLines carry both "long-distance" and "local" passengers. Express busses carry only "long-distance" passengers.
Let's say for argument sake the long-distance/local split is 50/50 and you have 10 articulated busses to serve the route.
If each bus could do five B-Line runs (Bway Stn return) in eight hours at 100% capacity, or six express runs (Bway Stn return) at 50% capacity, what combination of BLine and express busses moves the most people? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that 5 x 1.00 > 6 x 0.50.
10 x 5 x 1.00 = 50 busloads
9 x 5 x 1.00 + 1 x 6 x 0.5 = 48 busloads
...
10 x 6 x 0.5 = 30 busloads
Pretty much QED I think.
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Following your logic, Air Canada should NOT be flying direct non-stop flights between Vancouver and Toronto using expensive planes that aren't always full, but instead should use their limited number of expensive airplanes to make flights from Vancouver to Toronto (and back) with stops in Calgary, Regina and Winnipeg. Since the passengers traveling between Vancouver and Toronto get there eventually, they shouldn't complain about all the extra stops en route.
You can never find a Rocket Scientist when you need one .....
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