Advice from a Canadian Visitor

I just sent the following letter to the Honolulu Star Bulletin newspaper:

Though I'm just a visitor, I've been carefully following the ongoing debate over your proposed new rapid transit system. As a professional engineer and a frequent rider of Vancouver's public transit, I believe I have some important advice to share with both the citizens and politicians of Honolulu:

1. Cost Overruns - No matter what you're told, the costs will be higher than originally quoted. The only question is how much. Will the final bill be 20% over budget? 100% ? 300% ? The only certainty is that more & more money will be spent until the project is complete. I would strongly recommend taking a look at Public Private Partnerships (aka "Triple-P") that were pioneered by my province's Premier, Gordon Campbell. They've since caught the attention of California's Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. In essence, the system is built and run by the private sector for a period of years and then given back to the state, much like a toll highway. All cost overruns are eaten by the private sector, not the taxpayers.
   
   
2. Driverless Systems - It's 2008, not 1908. Get a system that works without drivers. All trains are run by staff in a central monitoring station. This technology is proven and works extremely well. The savings in overall labor costs can be quite significant.
   
   
3. Crime - In Vancouver, there were dramatic increases in crime in 500 yard "bubbles" around each station. It took many years before a dedicated transit police force was established. Whether such a force is created here or extra resources are given to HPD, don't make the same mistake my city did and let things get completely out of hand.
   
   
4. Fare Enforcement - The Honor System does NOT work; Vancouver did it wrong, Singapore did it right. Implement a fare payment system that prevents those wishing to cheat the system.
   
   
5. Compensation For Adversely Affected Businesses - During construction there will most likely be small businesses that will be seriously hurt, if not bankrupted. They should be helped from the get go. Vancouver handled this very poorly, whereas Seattle did it well.
   

Robert Werner
Vancouver, BC

P.S. When I get back home in a few weeks I'm going to write a letter to our main local newspaper about what a generally safe and law abiding place Honolulu is. While no place is perfect, you do have a very well run community with a very friendly and hospitable citizenry!