Japan is known globally for its strong economy, low homicide rate, and population with the highest life expectancy in the world. In addition, Japan has one of the best public transit systems in the world, consisting of numerous private railway companies. I had the pleasure and opportunity to spend just over a week travelling throughout Japan and I wanted to share some lessons Canada can learn from Japanese transit. I recognize that Canadian transit does not have the same ridership or the same budget as Japanese railway companies, but the features below are low-cost solutions that could be feasibly implemented in Canada.
1. Cleanliness
Virtually all forms of transit in Japan are remarkably clean. After trains reach the end of the subway line, they are closed off for five minutes to allow a crew of about 12 staff to clean the train and remove litter. See below for a picture I took inside a Tokyo subway train.
2. Suicide Prevention Barriers
An average of 25 people attempt to commit suicide on the TTC each year. This means that on average, there has been a suicide attempt every two weeks with about half of suicide attempts being successful. The outcome of suicide is extensive delays for TTC riders, additional work for TTC officials who have to deal with the families of suicide victims, and finally traumatized TTC drivers and passengers. The TTC is trying to prevent suicide by implementing the Gatekeeper Program: a program in which “employees are trained to identify those who are exhibiting high-risk behaviour and how to best interact with them should they encounter distressed individuals on or near platforms”. I am not convinced that this program will produce any significant results on its own.
Japanese railway companies have begun implementing “suicide prevention barriers” to keep people contained on the platform until the train arrives. These barriers are extremely effective in reducing suicide attempts. See the picture below for an image I took on the JR subway line which shows the suicide prevention barriers.
3. Ability to make calls underground
Cell phone service is available underground at all subway stops in Tokyo. The TTC could work with telecommunication companies to ensure there is network availability underground.
4. Punctuality
Japanese transit is among the most punctual public transportation in the world. The average delay on the Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train) in 2006 was only 0.3 minutes. As I was getting on board my bullet train to Hiroshima, the operator announced that the train would be delayed. Frustrated, I look at the screen to see when the train would be arriving and I was shocked to discover the delay was only five minutes.
Punctuality is one of the TTC’s greatest flaws and is a large deterrent for ridership. If you are running late for work why would you take the risk of being even later in the event of a TTC delay when you can drive your car knowing you will make it to work on time. Japanese transit is more predictable than driving; as a result, even senior executives use public transportation to get to work. Through implementing measures like suicide prevention barriers and better management of incident techniques, the TTC could improve punctuality and subsequently increase ridership. For ideas on how England is using better management to reduce delays check out this article.
5. Fare based on Distance or Time Travelled
While it would be quite expensive to implement a transit system where fees are based on distance travelled, the TTC needs to move in this direction eventually. This solution is expensive in the short run because it will require the TTC to invest in technology whereby users would put their ticket in a machine for validation. However, creating a fare system based on distance travelled is necessary in the long run as it encourages users to take transit for shorter distances (since the fee is lower) and helps the TTC reduce expensive labour costs as it eliminates the requirement for ticket collectors. There will certainly be opposition to this solution from labour unions however many major subway systems globally have implemented this system so we know it is viable.
By Trevor S.
By Trevor S.
If there was a facebook-like "like" button, I would press it, then try to press it again. Especially for the suicide prevention barrier part.
ReplyDeleteNow, the question is, regarding #5, how do we deal with opposition from ticket-collector unions?!? Maybe we can get those people cleaning the trains at the end of each line! And then effectively sorting their waste into recyclables, compostables, and "garbage", too, eh? :)
What were you up to in Japan?
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, on my visit to China, I noticed some very advanced subway networks as well. All forms of Japanese public transit are meticulously cleaned from busses to cabs driven by chaps in full uniform and white gloves even!
I travelled throughout Japan but my post was specifically referencing the subway system in Tokyo. However, the Japanese Shinkassen train (bullet train) goes across Japan and I took it to Hiroshima, Kyoto and Hakone. All three times the train was on time (down to the minute), meticulously clean, and the ride was thoroughly enjoyable. Chinese transit sounds great as well. What are your thoughts on the Shanghai Maglev?
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I have also been on a Shinkassen train, it was quite the experience.
ReplyDeleteI am not an expert on the Maglev trains, but it will be interesting to see a large-scale real world application of the technology. Hopefully, it is a good proving ground for such a system.
The Shanghai Maglev is brilliant, Trevor. I was on it a couple years ago. Also a very clean, speedy ride. The inside of the cabins has a digital speedometer that tells you how fast you're going - it got up to over 400kph!
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly there wasn't too many people on there. Our economy cabin was only about 25% full, and there was nobody in first class. True enough, 40 Chinese Yuan from "downtown" Shanghai to the airport may be a little bit too much for many Chinese citizens to afford.