Reflection!

So we meet again for the final time. I hope you have enjoyed my entire blog and also hope you use the different forms of mobility available in our city. I must say that I have learnt so much about mobility while doing this blog from the different literature I have researched. Now that this blog is completed I can reflect on the trials and tribulations I faced in acquiring these pictures. There were numerous times where I had to hide and take pictures as commuters didn’t like the idea of being photographed. When I started this blog some months ago I thought to myself “where am I going to get 10 different topics to put in my blog?” However as time progressed I realized how simple it was as I myself use different forms of mobility to get around the city, whether it be walking, maxi taxi, using my bicycle and driving. Also, while doing my entry on “Buses” I took the bus for the first time. It was a great experience for me. This last post I will discuss the relationship of my core theme “Mobility in the City” to three of my fellow classmates blogs.

My fellow classmate Shanice Mitchell also did a blog with respect to mobility in the city, to be more specific the city of San Fernando. On scrolling through Shanice’s blog, I was really amazed to see the different perspective she took with respect to mobility. Her blog entry entitled “Giddy up Horsey” really caught my attention. Here I am thinking about mobility in the form of man’s technology example cars,  buses etc but there are different forms also, natural forms in the use of the horse. I am sure we have seen those old western movies where the cowboys are riding horses from one city to another. This is the link to her post http://mobilityinsanfernando.blogspot.com/2013/04/giddy-up-horsey.html.  Also another aspect to Shanice’s blog that slipped me when I was doing my entry’s was the use of motor bicycles as a form of mobility. This was indeed a good blog entry as motor bikes are becoming more and more prevalent in society. With increasing traffic, persons are looking for faster ways to get through the traffic and the motor bike is the solution. The name of her entry on motor bikes is “Motorcycle : In with the new” and this is true, motorcycles are the new way of mobility in Trinidad. http://mobilityinsanfernando.blogspot.com/2013/04/motorcycle-in-with-new.html. One final thing to be noted from Shanice’s blog is that we both had similar ideas in that we both used the use of maxi taxis and bicycles (just to name a few) as ways persons get around in the city. This was interesting as we both did different entries at different times but yet still we have similar ideas on forms of mobility. Here is a link to her entry on bicycles.http://mobilityinsanfernando.blogspot.com/2013/04/bicycle-out-with-old.html

 My next classmate I looked at was Tabeeta Dwarika. Her blog entry spoke entitled Decentralization: Good or Bad? Spoke about the benefits of decentralization in  that it reduces traffic congestion. In my 10^th blog entry I spoke about the problems that persons face daily due to traffic congestion. In order to solve the traffic congestion my main focus was on the reduction on car based mobility and the increase of alternative forms of mobility, I suggested the use of the water taxi, mass transport, bicycles and encouraged persons to walk more rather than use their cars. Tabeeta’s blog entry on decentralization really intrigued me as decentralization never came to my mind as an option to reduce traffic congestion in the city. Now thinking about it, this is probably the main way to reduce traffic. Yes using different forms of mobility will help the situation reduce traffic in the city, but when there are thousands of persons heading the same direction at the same time, there is little using alternative forms of mobility can do to reduce traffic congestion. .You can check out Tabeeta's blog entry on decentralization here http://urbangeographer8.blogspot.com/2013/04/decentralization-good-or-bad_14.htm. In addition, Tabeeta’s blog main theme was “Unsustainability in the City.” In my opinion, the high percentage of cars as a form of mobility is one of the main factors contributing to unsustainability in the city.

For my next comparison, I looked at Christopher Mohip’s blog. Mr. Mohip’s blog was focused on the “ Social Nightlife in an Urban World.” In his blog he spoke in great detail about the night life that exists in an urban city. You may ask how can his blog on “Social Nightlife in an Urban World” be related to my blog on “Mobility in the City”. Well this is simple, whether it be you are going to get a burger or punch in St. James or going to a night club in Port- of- Spain you have to use a form of mobility to get there. So you may drive to Zen or take a maxi to the Avenue or walk around St James looking for the burger cart with the least number of persons, the point is you need forms of mobility to experience the night life as Mr. Mohip speaks about in his blog. With respect to one specific blog entry by Christopher, “Employment in Urban Nightlife” I found this particular post interesting. He spoke about maxi taxi owners having a shuttle service where they pick up and drop  UWI students to and from popular night clubs such as Zen at late hours in the night. I found this  interesting as why after working whole day would a maxi owner now risk working a shuttle service in the dangerous nighttime? Then I realized some of the problems maxi taxi owners have. In recent time PTSC has increased the number of buses there are on the bus route. This increase in the number of buses means that there will be fewer passengers using maxis. This coupled with the fact that the government has allowed all students in school uniform and persons over 60 years of age to have free access on the bus has made life as a maxi taxi operator difficult. This may be one of the reasons that maxi owners have shuttle services for UWI students to night clubs. These drivers are now finding ways to make an extra form of income in light of some of the challenges they face. You can check out Christopher’s blog entry on “Employment in Urban Nightlife” http://socialnightlifetnt.blogspot.com/2013/04/employment-in-urban-nightlife.html#comment-form

I thank you for viewing my blog on "Mobility in the City" and till we meet again keep safe 

Avinash Narine

I not going out today, too much traffic!!

So we meet again for another blog entry. Hope you guys have been enjoying the previous nine posts. This blog entry will be focused on the one thing we all hate the most and no its not when the doubles man sell out early before you reach but TRAFFIC!! This picture was taken near Grand Bazaar, as I made my way from Port-of – Spain to Chaguanas. As I sat in the car I thought to myself “when is this traffic situation going to be fixed?” Whether it is 6am or 8pm, Monday or Sunday are nations roads are always filled with vehicles. Traffic affects all commuters in various ways whether it causes persons to be stressed or results in persons reaching late to their destinations.

We quote this phrase again from Hall and Barrett ( 2012) where it is said that “ we have moved into an era where we are not simply concerned with a trip to work and back but with the multiple journeys that have become not just desirable but necessary in order to sustain our lifestyles each and every day. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that much of our life in cities is bound up with the issues of how to get somewhere.” This phrase in my opinion has changed significantly as persons now take possible traffic congestion into consideration in determining where and when they go to certain places in the city. We have all heard the phrase “ nah man I ain’t going there, it will have too much traffic” So have we as a society have allowed traffic congestion to control our daily live? Leaving your house at 5:30am to avoid traffic? Yes we have allowed traffic to control our lives!

Hall and Barrett (2012) have spoken in great detail about the problems surrounding the use of cars as a form of mobility, namely traffic congestion and environmental problems. What are some of the ways in which we can reduce the number of cars on the road and hence reduce traffic congestion? One of the simplest answers to this question is walking. As quoted in the first entry, “As any traveler worth their Nikes knows, to walk around a city is to experience its true essence its soul if you will.” This simple quote by MCculloch (2012) says a lot. Have you ever realize that persons who walk daily know more about certain aspects of their city versus those who drive? Instead of driving to the nearby shop one can simply walk. The second solution to traffic congestion can be biking. Biking again reduces the number of cars that are present on the nation’s roads. It is also a healthy alternative as well as good for the environment. Furthermore mass transit can be one of the main solutions to traffic congestion. Mass transit involves the movement of numerous amounts of persons at the same time. This again reduces the amount of cars on our nation’s roadways. One final aspect of traffic reduction can be seen in the use of water taxis. This is also a form of transport but this time the transport is occurring on the sea. Further further details on these traffic reduction strategies can be seen in blog entry #1, (walking) #2 (biking), #4 (bus) and #6 (water taxi).

Above picture showing ways traffic can be reduced

Reference

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. 4^th Edition. London and New York: Routledge Publishing.(pages 282-301 ).

McCulloch, Adam, 2012. “World's Top Walking Cities.” March 2012.http://www.departures.com/articles/worlds-top-walking-cities.Accessed February 8th, 2013.

Stupsss You Know How Long I Waiting On The Bus?

So we meet again for a next blog entry :) . So we have covered the main forms of mobility in the city ( can you remember them?) This post is now focused on the problems some persons experience in getting from one place to another in or out of the city. The persons to whom I refer to are those that depend on public transport daily as their main form of mobility in the city. For those persons who lack their own vehicle, their next option to get around the city is to walk or use public transport. The above picture on the left was taken in Curepe on my way to Port-of- Spain. It’s a picture of dozens of persons waiting on the PTSC bus to get to their destination. The picture on the right was taken in City Gate, Port- of –Spain. It’s a picture of numerous nonfunctional PTSC buses. I can personally relate to this stranded commuters as I too was stranded on many occasions as a maxi taxis were difficult to get. Isn’t this picture ironic? On the left, many commuters waiting on a bus and on the right dozens of nonfunctional buses. Why not fix these buses to boost the number of buses available?

According to Hall and Barrett (2012) there are several issues surrounding car based mobility. Two of these problems are : increased traffic congestion and environmental damage. In order to reduce the traffic congestion, Hall and Barrett ( 2012) recommends the use of bicycles as a form of mobility, However bicycles are very impracticable  when persons have to travel long distances. According to City of Albuquerque (2013) one of the best ways to reduce traffic congestion and reduce environmental damage is by using mass transit. In Trinidad we have mass transit in the form of Buses. These public forms of transport helps reduce traffic congestion as dozens of persons travel at the same time in one bus, so instead of having numerous cars on the road there will just be one bus. This form of transport is also beneficial to the environment as it reduces the carbon dioxide that is being emitted by cars. Also, this is a very economic form of transport as buses are cheap and also reduces the amount of maintenance a person will have to do on their car if they were to drive it every day. With all the benefits of taking the bus one would think that all persons will be willing to avoid buying a car or leave their personal vehicles home and use the bus. However, when the bus is late or there are few buses to serve an area results in person being forced to use their personal vehicle. The problems faced by commuters with respect to buses arriving late are not something that is new. When questioned about the buses arriving late a frequent user of the bus responded “ the bus and thing nice but they always run late, we fed up running late to work.” In order to encourage more persons to use the bus in Trinidad, PTSC must have more buses in the service to avoid the delay in buses arriving late at certain pick up destinations.

With respect to the commuter I interviewed about the tardiness of the buses, he responded  "the bus and thing nice but they always run late, we fed up running late to work.” From this response I thought the below song  was just perfect with respect to the cries of persons who use the bus as a form of mobility. Just a small verse from the song (8) I fed up of the same thing over and over(8)

Reference

City of Albuquerque.2013. “Riding the Bus” Accessed April 10 2013. http://www.cabq.gov/transit/modes-of-transportation/riding-the-bus

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. 4^th Edition. London and New York: Routledge Publishing.(pages 282-301 ).

The Greener Alternative

So we meet again for another entryJ. If you remember from a previous post we spoke about the dominance of car based mobility in our society today. The focus of this entry will be based on the ways in which society and governmental institutions can minimize the environmental effects of car based mobility on our environment. The picture above of the CNG pump was taken at a gas station in Mt. Lambert. As I sat in the car waiting for the attendant to come to my vehicle I saw this lonely CNG pump. No one was filling their car with CNG. I then thought to myself with all the positives of CNG for the environment why aren’t more persons converting their gasoline based vehicles to CNG based vehicles?

With global warming on the rise it is seen that greenhouse gases are the main contributor to the rise in temperatures. With the increasing number of vehicles on the road today there is seen to be more greenhouse gases being emitted. A study conducted in the United States show the extent to which cars are contributing to global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions from personal vehicles in the United States equaled 314 million metric tons in 2004. That much carbon could fill a coal train 55,000 miles long- long enough to circle the earth twice! While Americans own only 30% of the 700 million vehicles that are in use worldwide, it was found that cars in the U.S. account for a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gas emissions because they are driven further, have lower fuel economy standards, and burn fuel with higher levels of carbon than many of the cars in other countries (DeCicco and Fung 2006.) The recognition of the environmental impacts of the car have led to the promotion of a range of initiatives, from a variety of advocates and levels of government to reduce the effects of car based mobility within the city. The following table by Hall and Barrette (2012) shows some substitution mechanisms which will help the environment in the long run.

Linking trips	Rather than making a number of trips for a single purpose, a single trip is made which addresses a number of purposes.
Technology	Physical travel is replaced by electronic communication
Trip Modification	The trip is modified by type, eg, a mobile goods delivery van replaces several individual shopping trips.
Mode Switching	Drive alone car travel is replaced by car sharing or alternative modes of travel such as public transport and cycling
Time switching	Travel takes place at less congested, off peak time, thus reducing travel time.

Compressed natural gas is a clean-burning fuel. It is actually the cleanest of all fossil fuels. Since natural gas is composed mainly of methane, burning it produces carbon dioxide and water vapor. These are the same compounds we exhale when we breathe. Meanwhile, petroleum produces higher carbon emissions, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. Burning fuel oil also produces ash particulates that worsen pollution. For many years now, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has been promoted as the alternative transport fuel of the future for our vehicles simply because its cheaper, cleaner, safer and greener.

Trinidad and Tobago is well poised to take advantage of these benefits falling within the Top 50 list of countries possessing the world’s largest natural gas reserves. The country’s fuel subsidy was $4.4 billion last year and Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine says CNG is key in bringing about a reduction .With the recent opening of the country’s 10^th CNG fuel station government is paving the way for the use of this gas. In addition one of the main problems with CNG was that it took approximately 30 minutes to full up at the gas station. This time has significantly been reduced to 4mins. Furthermore, in recent times , the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has implemented fiscal initiatives in support of CNG adoption, including the removal of motor vehicle tax and VAT on imported OEM natural gas vehicles (less than two years old). Jumping on the heat of that announcement, Maska South Motors in La Romaine boasted of importing 200 CNG ready vehicles in a bid to support the Government’s push for Trinidad and Tobago to be greener. Though the pros far outweigh the cons in number, the miniscule number of stations still remains the main reason motorists and commercial organisations fail to take the plunge. The Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) and the National Petroleum Marketing Company (NP) are going against the grain with their recent collaboration, having turned the sod at their planned CNG station at City Gate. The state of the art CNG facility will be built at the South Quay location and the gas will be supplied by the National Gas Company (NGC). This recent initiative  by the PTSC together with government’s tax exemptions may help to woo persons in the use of CNG.

                                             

 Reference

Boodan, Shastri.2013. “Cabinet to consider CNG master plan” Trinidad Guardian ( March 15^th 2013) Accessed April 2 2013 http://guardian.co.tt/business/2013-03-14/cabinet-consider-cng-master-plan

DeCicco, John and Freda Fung.2006. “Global Warming on the Road.” New York: Environmental Defense.

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. 4^th Edition. London and New York: Routledge Publishing.(pages 282-301 ).

Leang. Michelle.2012. “CNG Cheaper, Cleaner, Safer.” Trinidad Guardian (April 1^st 2012). Accessed April 2 2013  http://guardian.co.tt/business/2012-04-01/cng-cheaper-cleaner-safer

Disabled Persons Are People Too!

Now that we have reached entry number 7 can you remember from previous posts the 6 different ways that people traverse through the city? Persons move around the city via: walking, cycling, cars, buses, maxi taxis, and water taxis. Now that we have highlighted the six forms of mobility this blog will focus on the problems some persons face in moving around the city. These persons I refer to are the physical challenged persons in living in our society. In Trinidad the structure of our cities does not cater for these individuals. Governments need to realize that these persons are also members of our society and they too need to get around the city. I can easily relate to this blog entry as when I was on crutches for a while I too experienced difficulty traversing through the city of San Juan. The above highlights the plea of physically challenged persons. The picture on the left shows a non-disabled person parking his vehicle in a designated handicap parking area. When I asked the gentleman why he parked his vehicle here he replied “It had no one in the spot so I just ran out to drop something.” The picture on the right shows a ramp for wheel chairs in Port of Spain. This area is now full of garbage and it seems as though water settles here every time rain falls.

A physical disability is any impairment which limits the physical function of one or more limbs or fine or gross motor ability. We refer to Hall and Barrette (2012) again in this entry and from scouring through the chapter on Mobility it is to be noted that no aspect of the chapter spoke about mobility for physically disabled persons. Ashford et al (1981) goes on to say that one of the main reasons for the challenges face by disabled persons is due to the fact that these persons are the minority in society. His book went on to state that in 1980 seven members of parliament spent six months investigating the problems faced by disabled people against the physical barriers in the city. At the end of the investigation it was deduced that transportation was the main challenged faced by physically disabled persons. Transport for these individuals was not safe and reliable. In addition to get into the vehicles was frustrating and time consuming. These problems that were highlighted by Ashford was in the year 1981, which was a very long time ago. The questions remain though as to why are these problems still existing in societies all around the world today, more specific in Trinidad.

In recent times there has been a move toward helping physically disabled persons. In the United Kingdom there are several schemes available for disabled persons. There is the Motability Scheme which helps disabled persons in purchasing powered wheelchairs or scooters. In addition there is VAT relief system that gives persons VAT exemptions on vehicles that are adapted to suit their specific disability. There is also the Blue Badge parking scheme which provides a range of parking benefits for disabled people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or as passengers. To learn more about what the UK is doing you can follow this link https://www.gov.uk/financial-help-disabled/vehicles-and-transport

 Even in Trinidad there has been a movement by PTSC to aid in movement of persons in and around the city. As recent as  the December 5^th 2012 the PTSC launched its Elderly and Differently Abled Mobile Service ( Eldamo) at NAPA, Port- of – Spain. The launch was held in observance of the United Nations International Day of People with Disabilities, celebrated each year since 1992. This Eldamo initiative would involve a fleet of 24 buses, three of which would be based in Tobago. Each would be equipped with special features such as a wheelchair-lifting platform with an automatic and manual lifting system in each. Buses would also be fully air-conditioned and would include nine seats and three wheelchair fixing places. The service was launched in Scarborough, Tobago, on November 21 with two of the special buses. The information kit distributed at the event explained that those who needed to schedule a ride would be able to call the PTSC at least 24 hours in advance and arrangements would be made to pick up people at their homes or at a mutually accessible location nearby. The picture below shows the new initiative by PTSC, the Eldamo buses in San Juan.

Reference

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. 4^th Edition. London and New York: Routledge Publishing.(pages 282-301 ).

Ashford, Norman, Thomas A. Rich, Villiam G. Bell. 1981. Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Handicapped Persons New York: Gordon and Beach Science Publishers Ltd.

ALL ABOARD!!!

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

Yes your right, this blog is about how persons move from town to town via one of the most exciting forms of transport, the boat. This picture was taken at the Water Taxi Terminal on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. If you remember from a previous blog, my first journey on a bus was done while doing my blog entry on buses as a form of transport in the city. I was tempted to take the water taxi to San Fernando but due to getting seasick easily I refused this journey this time. This blog focuses on the water taxi service that operates between Port of Spain and San Fernando as a form of mobility between these two cities.

With Port of Spain being the capital of the city, most of the governmental institutions and private business are located here. This has been one of the main causes of traffic congestion for commuters on a daily basis. Port of Spain can be seen as having the bottle neck effect where by commuters from different parts of the country are trying to get into the capital city at the same point in time. In order to alleviate the traffic congestion the government turned to the sea as a form of transport. This is where the water taxi came about. Hall and Barrette (2011) in their book, Urban Geography spoke about various forms of mobility in the city ranging from bicycle, to bus to car and even rail. However, their book did not speak about boats as a form of mobility from city to city. Miller (2012) did however speak about the benefits about boats going on to say that it is the most scenic form of transport (second to airplane.) In addition she also said justified the use of water taxis as they are no stop lights or traffic congestion on the seas.

The Water Taxi Service is owned and operated by the National Infrastructure Development Company Limited. The taxi service is available to all members of the public and operates as an alternative form of transport between the cities of Port of Spain and San Fernando. The service comprises of 4 vessels which traverse the Gulf of Paria waters on a daily basis. Tickets can be purchased at both the Port of Spain and San Fernando terminals for any sailing up to one week in advance which makes smooth sailing for passengers. The ferry capacity is limited to 402 seated passengers and also has 2 wheelchair spaces. When looking at the sailing times, it is seen that the water taxi is geared towards moving persons from Port of Spain to San Fernando and vice versa in peak traffic times. This feature of the water taxi makes it a great option for persons who want to avoid the head ache of traffic congestion.

As recent as January 2013, the government has been second guessing the Water Taxi Service. Due to the service being uneconomic, authorities have already scaled back on sailings between Port of Spain and San Fernando and dropped plans to expand t to Point Fortin and La Brea. Current Minister of Transport Chandresh Sharma has indicated that the service is heavily subsidized and transports fewer than 1,500 passengers daily between Port of Spain and San Fernando. The service is costing tax payers $50 million annual to operate and just brings in a mere $7million in revenue. We all know the main goal in any business venture is to make money. Seeing that the Water Taxi Service is very unprofitable the question remains will the water taxi continue to be one of the ways in which persons traverse through different cities? If you don’t get seasick easily maybe you can try the water taxi yourselfJ. In case you do want to try the water taxi here is some more info: http://www.wecaribbean.net/trinidad-and-tobago-water-taxi-schedule/  Happy sailing folks.

Just a little song to the poem above. Yes the song is something we all learnt in preschool but looking at this video in a wider perspective you will notice that there is no traffic and the two occupants are just sailing along without any hindrance.

Reference

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. 4^th Edition. London and New York: Routledge Publishing.(pages 282-301 ).

Miller, Laura.2012. Frommer’s Walt Disney World and Orlando. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Trinidad Guardian.2013. “Realise potential of water taxi service” Trinidad Guardian( January 18^th 2013.) Accessed March 20, 2013.

One to go, straight to Arima we going!!

So we meet again for another blog entryJ. In order to get to school on a morning, I first take a car then I walk to the maxi stop. While walking I thought to myself “I already have an entry on walking and cars as a form of mobility, what else can I use.” Then it hit me, well to be more specific it pulled up in front of me, yes the maxi taxi! So far we have covered walking, cycling, driving and the use of buses as forms of mobility, but this week we will be focusing on the maxi taxi as a form of mobility in the city. For me personally, the maxi has been my main form of transport form San Juan to St Augustine on a daily basis. With hundreds of maxi taxi of different sizes and colours available in Trinidad and Tobago it is seen that the maxi taxi is one of the main ways to traverse from city to city. This picture was taken in San Juan showing red band maxi taxis as they await passengers to make the trek to Arima/ Sangre Grande/ Trinicity.

We now live in a world where much of our life in cities is bound up with issues of how to get somewhere ( Hall and Barrett 2012,283.) With this in mine you ask yourself what is a maxi taxi? A maxi taxi is a privately owned mini buses that are used in public transport. These minibuses operate along fixed routes, having fixed fare and meeting points. In addition, they do not operate under a schedule or timetable like the buses. In different parts of the world maxi taxis are called : shared taxi, dollar van, tap tap (Haiti), van or even ruletero (Guatemala), jitney (Atlantic city). Whether you call it maxi taxi or jitney, this form of transport is one of the cheapest available.

Before maxi taxis become so popular in Trinidad the main form of transport was that of trains. The Trinidad Government Railway existed between 1876 and 28^th December 1968. The railway was originally built to connect Port of Spain to Arima, but was later extended to Couva in 1880, San Fernando in 1882, Sangre Grande in 1897, Tabaquite in 1898, Siparia in 1913 and Rio Claro in 1914. At its greatest extent the railway covered approximately 173 km. However, after the end of World War I and the appearance of automobiles, this led to massive changes taking place in the transport system in Trinidad. I began with the phased closure of the railway in April 1953 and on December 1968 the entire railway system was closed (PTSC). In 1981 the advent of the maxi taxi came about. They existed in small 12 seater maxis and the bigger 25 seaters. The colours of the maxis varied like the colours on a rainbow to signify their routes. The colours and destinations of the maxis are as followed:

Port of Spain to Sangre Grande ( Red Band)

Port of Spain to Diego Martin  (Yellow Band)

Port of Spain to San Fernando and including Curepe to Chaguanas ( Green Band)

San Fernando to Princess Town (Black Band)

South of San Fernando ( including Point Fortin, Cedros and Siparia) (Brown Band)

Entire Tobago ( Blue Band)

Maxi taxi hubs can be found in Port of Spain, Arima, Curepe, San Fernando Chaguanas and many other places. This abundance of hubs has made the maxi taxi one of the most popular forms of transport in the country. In addition with fares ranging from $3-10 this is also one of the cheapest ways to get from one town to another. So out of the colours of maxis that I have highlighted how many have you travelled in?

I am sure all the persons who have travelled in a maxi taxi before can relate to this video. For the persons who never travelled in one before, this video basically explains how your journey will most likely be J.

References

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. 4^th Edition. London and New York, Routledge Publishing. 2012 (pages 282-301 )

Public Transport Service Corporation.nd. “About Us.” Accessed March 31, 2013 http://www.ptsc.co.tt/about-us.html

Trinidad and Tobago The True Caribbean.2013. “Travel Information, Getting Around.” Accessed March 31, 2013. http://gotrinidadandtobago.com/travel-information/getting-around/

I am off to catch the bus!

For the past few months I have been attending the Queens’s Park Oval on Mondays for classes. Every Monday I will make my way to Port of Spain and board a St James car to the oval. This Monday I decided to take a bus to the oval! Yes this was my first trip on a PTSC bus J. This picture was taken in City Gate, where I was about to board my bus to the Oval. The bus is also a form of mobility for persons in the city. So far we have talked about walking, cycling, driving and now buses!!.

I refer back to the study that was conducted in Great Britain where it shows the percentage of persons using the bus as a form of transport. In 152 there were 42% of persons using the bus as a form of transport. The bus was the most popular form of transport in the year 1952. However, in the year 1975 this percentage dropped significantly to 14% while in 2000 it dropped even further to 6 % of persons using the bus. This figure remained the same in 2007 (Hall and Barrett 2012). These figures however aren’t the general trend for buses worldwide. The resurgence of buses can be seen in the case study of Curitiba (yes the video we watched in the library). The Curitiba Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) is new, highly efficient mode of public transportation that has recently been adopted in Curitiba, a city of some 1.7 million people. In most instances, BRT buses are a faster mode of transportation than private automobiles. The organizational, structural, and technological advances of the BRT system are the main factors in increasing efficiency and speed of buses. This system was implemented approximately 30 years ago as a cheaper mode of transport than the construction of an underground subway. BRT routes are perfectly plotted into rings, with each ring expanding further into the outer reaches of the city. Busses are color coordinated to make it easy for riders to distinguish between different rings/routes. This pattern allows for uniform bus routes and locations for bus stops throughout the city. Curitiba is a great example of efficiency of the BRT system, as embarking and disembarking times have been reduced by one-eighth of their original time. Hide levels of ridership leave the roads relatively unclogged. This is the main form of mobility in the city as approximately 75% of the population uses it. In addition there is no specific social class using the buses.

In Trinidad we can also see how influential buses are (not as much as cars though). The PTSC services different cities in the country. From San Fernando to Chaguanas to San Juan to Port of Spain it serves the entire country. Its regular services make this form of transport a accessible need to Trinidadians. In addition the PTSC fleet also boasts Deluxe Coach Service which makes travelling much easier. The buses are equipped with luxurious interior, television, individual reading lights, as well as radio and cd capabilities. This form of transport is also more efficient as it transports more persons with less fuel being consumed. This not only helps the environment but also reduces traffic congestion in the city. You can read more about the Deluxe services here : http://www.ptsc.co.tt/deluxe-coach-service--dcs-.html

There is a new initiative be undertaken by the PTSC. Its call “Know Your Country Tours”. This is relatively knew  and involves families taking PTSC buses to different parts of the country. Areas include : Port-of-Spain to Mayaro, Port-of-Spain to the Pitch Lake to Vessigny  and Port-of-Spain to Los Iros. You can check out more about the “Know Your Country Tours” by following this link : http://www.ptsc.co.tt/know-your-country-tours--kyct-.html.

To me this song is what buses are about…working whole day throughout the city. Hope it brings back some memories also J

Reference

Goodman, Joseph, Melissa Laube, Judith Schwenk. 2007. “Curitiba’s Bus System is Model for Rapid Transit” Race, Poverty and the Environment. Accessed March7, 2013. http://www.urbanhabitat.org/node/344

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. 4^th Edition. London and New York, Routledge Publishing. 2012 (pages 282-301 )

Vroom Vroom !

On my way to school one morning I thought to myself “ the time is 7:00am and there are so many cars in the Croisee already?” I then thought to myself this would make a good picture for my blog showing a different form of mobility i.e. the car.  This picture was taken in the heart of the Croisee in San Juan. Lets track back a bit at the previous pictures in this blog. The first picture showed how walking was a form of mobility in the city. The second picture showed how using a bicycle was also a form of mobility in the city. We have now reached to in my opinion mans’ best friend the automobile ( not the dog).

Movement in an around cities in the Global North at least, is increasingly dominated by the car. This is so as the choice of the car as the dominant mode of transport has a range of social, economic and environmental implications (Hall and Barrett 2012). A study conducted in Great Britain showed the ever increasing passenger transport by car between 1952 and 2007. In 1952 there were 27% of persons using cars as a mode of transport. In 1975 there was a dramatic jump as there were 76% of persons using cars as their form of transport. This number again increased in the year 2000 to 85% while in 2007 it dropped to 84% of persons using the car as a form of transport. The rise in car mobility can also be seen in Trinidad. An article from the Guardian Newspapers shows the increase in car ownership in the country. In 2011, there were 13, 163 cars sold while in 2012 there were 14,888 cars being sold. In addition there was an increase the amount of used cars being bought by citizens. In 2011 there were 6,089 used cars bought while in 2012 this number more than doubled to 12,250 used cars bought. The article went on further to say that initial indicators are that, for 2013, the foreign used imports and subsequent sales will increase by an additional 33 per cent while the imports of new vehicles should remain constant. The amount of persons using cars as a form of mobility in Trinidad has increased dramatically. This may be due to : more high end jobs to purchase cars, more accessible loans from the banks as well as security reasons( owning a car means no travelling and prevents the  risk of  getting robbed.)

In addition to the considerable benefits of personal mobility and freedom it offers, the car generates a range of negative impacts on the places and people around it. For example the automobile fuel consumption, and the emissions from the industries that produce , maintain and fuel them, are major contributors are major contributors to the greenhouse gases responsible for increasing rates of global climate change over recent years. A prime example of this pollution can be seen in Beijing, China. With one of the world’s largest cities Beijing experiences severe pollution as a result of the high amount of cars in the city. The 2008 Olympics was the much needed imitative to help clean the air in the city. In the city, government have implemented electric buses which still in the year 2013 serve the population and also reduce the amount of smog present. In addition, government has also planned to remove 180,000 old vehicles from the road. Furthermore, there is a greater need to provide cleaner fuels to be used by citizens. You can read more about China’s plans http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=1908 .

Cars have their positives and negatives but at the end of the day there are man’s best friend as they are one of the most common ways to get in and around the city.This song is a good way to describe this entry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvsmRuRp4cM

Reference

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography.4^th Edition. London and New York, Routledge Publishing. 2012 (pages 282-301 )

Raphael, John.2013. “ Car sales get a boast in 2012” Guardian Newpapers (February 28 2013). Accessed March 4  2013.http://guardian.co.tt/business-guardian/2013-02-27/car-sales-   boost-2012. 

Pedal to the metal!

This picture was taken at the corner of Concord Road in San Juan. Yes this is my ever faithful bicycle! If you 
can recollect from my first entry, one of the most common forms of mobility in the city is walking. Indeed walking was my first and main forms of mobility but as grew older this bicycle was my main and most exciting form of transport to get in and around the city of San Juan. In addition, San Juan is always cluttered with traffic congestion so it was also the quickest form of getting from one place to another as I did not have to sit in traffic or walk to my destinations.

A study conducted in Great Britain showed the diminishing numbers of persons that commuted via bicycle. In 1952 the percentage of persons that used a bike to get around the city was 11%. This number decreased significantly as in 1975 this number dropped dramatically to one percent. This percentage remained the same up to the year 2007. What this study showed was the stark contrast in bicycles vs. cars as a mode of transport. The percentage of persons that used cars in 1952 was 27% while in 2007 this number jumped to 84%! Great Britain have however catered for this increase in car mobility by having a diverse road network (Hall and Barrett, 283). Furthermore, Hall and Barrett (2012) went on to say that cycling is a mode of transport that is highly uneven across space. This is seen in an example in Belgium where cycling levels among commuters are higher in densely built up areas. These environments are suited for biking as they are characterized by short commuting distances. However, in lower density urban areas commuting distances are longer and hence cycling becomes a less attractive option. In other words biking is more favorable in cities where there is a short commuting distance.

Have you notice I have not spoken anything about Trinidad yet? This is so as every Trinidadian feels that in order to be considered as “reaching somewhere in life” you must own a car and riding a bike to work is frown upon by society. An article in the Guardian Newspaper entitled “Car sales gets a boast in 2012” highlights the story of the ever increasing number of cars in Trinidad. According to the article there were 14,888 new vehicles sold in 2012 compared with 2011 where there were 13,1363 new cars being sold. How are our small roads handling this influx of cars? There will be more traffic! Why don’t the government implement a bike scheme? For example the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme which was implemented in London in 2010 and is still a major part of the transport scheme for London. This cycle scheme in the year 2013 currently has 8000 bicycles and 570 docking stations. At the recently concluded London 2012 Olympics, a record of 47,105 cycle hires was made in a single day. This is a cheap mode of transport in the city, it is environmentally friendly and promotes healthy living. So why not implement a small scale version of the Barclays Cycle Hire in Trinidad, more specifically the capital city? Seeing that the capital city is small (compared to London)  this will tie in with Hall and Barrett (2012) theory as explained earlier that persons are more willing to bike to areas that are short distances away.

This song by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers basically says a lot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyQxJ8d5PPo One of the main lines in the sound… “How could I forget to mention that the bicycle is a good invention”

Reference
Hall,Tim and Heather Barrett.2012. Urban Geography. London and New York: Routledge Publishing.2012 (pages 282- 301)

Raphael,John.2013."Car sales get a boost in 2012" Guardian Newspapers (February 28 2013). Accessed March 4 2013. http://guardian.co.tt/business-guardian/2013-02-27/car-sales-get-boost-2012

London and Partners.2011." London Cycle Hire Scheme" Accessed March 4 2013.http://www.visitlondon.com/traveller-information/getting-around-london/london-transport/london-cycle-hire-scheme.

Roaming around the Urban

 

This picture was taken in the heart of San Juan, the Croisee .It shows the movement of persons within an urban city. Mobility within a city can take many various forms. This picture depicts the form of mobility that I can most likely relate to. Since I lack a vehicle and public transport is sometimes difficult, the next best alternative is walking.

According to Hall and Barrett, 2012 mobility can be defined as the ability to move around cities. With this definition in mind, a quote from Jarvis et al.2001:2 went on to say “We have moved into an era where we are not simply concerned with a trip to work and back but with the multiple journeys that have become not just desirable but necessary in order to sustain our lifestyles each and every day.” This quote simply means we are always on the move within the city.

In addition to the health benefits of walking, it is seen that walking is sometimes the fastest way to get from one place to another within the city. Furthermore, Hall and Barrett, 2012 explained they are several negative effects resulting from car based mobility which includes: high gas prices, and fuel combustion. These negative effects can be offset by walking. Also, persons who walk need not worry about wreckers, parking problems or even theft of cars.

An article written by Adam McCulloch in 2012 says “As any travel worth their Nikes knows, to walk around a city is to experience its true essence- its soul if you will.” This article depicts the world’s top ten walking cities. His article went on to say that what makes walking through cities so different than driving is the less tangible things that make cities uniquely fascinating. For example the scrumptious smell you get from the side walk bakery that engulfs your nose. For further reading on the top 10 walking cities you can visit :

http://www.departures.com/articles/worlds-top-walking-cities

 

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. London and New York, Routledge Publishing. 2012 (pages 282-301 )

 

 McCulloch, Adam, 2012. World's Top Walking Cities.March 2012.http://www.departures.com/articles/worlds-top-walking-cities.Accessed February 8th, 2013.

 

Hope you enjoyed and remember.......walk!

 

 

 

 

This blog is aimed at showing the various ways and means by which persons traverse through an urban city.