At this point, one may already ask – how can cable car operators guarantee the safety of passengers once it is used as a mass transit?
The engineering guidelines that are being followed during the creation of a CPT line ensure a safe system. As a matter of fact, one backup motor is built into all cable transport systems. Regulators such as the International Organization for Transportation by Rope (OITAF) and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) make it a point that CPTs are built to the highest standards. In a study conducted in Switzerland during the year 2012, it was also revealed that CPT passengers in their country are three times less likely to get injured than those who ride a bus or train. Moreover, they are also fifty times less likely to be injured than individuals who use cars.
Furthermore, cable operators are able to provide quality service by putting up proper ventilation inside the cabins at the comfort of the passengers. This mode of transport also produces minimal noise since it can run even without an on-board motor. Operators also impose strict preventive maintenance guidelines so that CPT systems will remain fully functional even when there is a poor weather condition. Intercom systems, which passengers can use to communicate with the operators during an emergency, can also be built inside the cabin.
In terms of implementation costs, building a CPT system is cheaper than producing any other type of transit technology. Nevertheless, it will also depend on a wide range of factors such as land acquisition costs, electromechanical infrastructure, degree of customization and topographical challenges. Production of CPT lines also employs lower labor costs since increasing its line capacity is not directly proportional to an increase in personnel costs for operations and maintenance. Running a CPT system will also let you get rid of the so-called “Deadhead Time” which pertains to the scheduled time spent driving to and from a base to the start of its revenue service route. At this point, a transit does not have any passengers so there’s no profit accumulated but the driver is still paid while the vehicle is still using up fuel.
But even with all these said, a CPT system has its limitations as well, just like all the other modes of transportation. When a cable line malfunctions, the entire line can be affected already, which can cause delay to a particular trip. Since it’s a fixed link transport system, it also cannot maneuver to a different route. Aside from this, other transit systems such as buses and trains have higher maximum speeds than cable cars. CPTs must also be carefully designed to ensure the privacy of the residents in the community where a CPT line is built. Adding extra stations to an existing CPT will result to higher construction costs, too. Lastly, passengers who suffer from fear of heights may not be able to ride cable cars at all.
Weighing all the factors carefully, I still think that the use of cable cars remain as a viable solution to the traffic problems here in the Philippines since it can be built seamlessly into many urban environments. Some CPT lines only need small portions of land during construction, which can reduce the number of displaced residents in the area and lessen the lengthy process of right-of-way acquisitions which basing from past experience, has been the major cause of delay in implementing major infrastructure projects in the Philippines. With proper management and planning, CPT lines can operate in between skyscrapers as well. Cable cars may also aid in making the travel experience of airport passengers more seamless through airport connector lines.
In London, England the Emirates Air Line is a CPT system which was launched in 2012 and is able provide transport efficiency by crossing the Thames River. Citizens and tourists alike are still using this this transit up to this date. The Sikikda Telecabine in Algeria, on the other hand, is able to provide its people an easier way to access the city center.
Ultimately, when one plans to implement a CPT system, studying the area and communicating with the community members should be a top priority. After all, they’re the first ones to be affected by its implementation.
And while cable cars cannot entirely solve the traffic issues we face every day, it is very helpful to have other transport options in the highly congested Philippine urban areas. After all, as our good DOTr Secretary Art Tugade once said, what we need to solve the traffic situation is a basket of solutions. In fact, this alternative may just help us find bigger solutions to one of the biggest problems our country faces today.
Originally published by The Manila Times on August 20, 2020.
View the original publication at The Manila Times ↗