Tipping Point for Transit?

1. Law of the Few

80/20 Rule
Connectors
Mavens
Salespeople

2. Stickiness

A good idea is one that is memorable
Spurs people into action

3. Power of Context

Broken windows theory
Little things are noticed as signifying larger issues
People perceive the graffiti and broken windows

What gets people making non-auto choices?

Fast makes people choose transit
The experience itself - low stress
Municipal leadership maintains transit as a "welfare service"
People are listening to the NIMBYs
How to transit authorities approach the customer?
Do they address the customer's needs? - keep people warm on a platform
Focus on the individual user
Elevators and escalators have to work
Heatlamps
Politicians wanting to finance from user fees, what about keeping them low and funding that from the general tax base
What would it cost to make transit free?
Does free make it more convenient?
Time
Comfort

How do we test the tipping points?
Quick Wins of Metrolinx - are the low-hanging fruit, broken windows
Behaviour takes a lot of time for it to shift
Social learning process, incremental changes in individual behaviours

Trends
Energy price
Deindustrialization (arts, creative industries and downtown revitalization opportunities; in Hamilton King/James is the old heritage centre of Hamilton)
Generation Y (how they work, where they work, tele commute, flexible, live/work)
Boomer retirement (need for affordability)

Variables
Cost
Speed
Headway (12/15/20 min.?)
Experience/Comfort