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Old 07-19-2011, 11:37 AM   #35 (permalink)
wyatt
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Quote:
Originally Posted by euromodder View Post
Graphs like these are usually biased by the fact that only 1 of them - the car - is used on an as-needed base.

The busses, trains, and aircraft mostly operate on schedule, and aren't always full. They often require pre-positioning as well, meaning more empty runs. These are usually not accounted for in these comparative graphs.

Matter of fact, off-peak our public transport often runs nearly empty and its passenger-miles are known to be very rough estimates based on unrealistic usage data.

Countless times when going to or coming from work, I've seen heavy trains go by transporting a mere 1 or 2 passengers.

Friends of mine went on a Boeing 737 with half a dozen passengers.
The CO2 output per passenger-mile on that flight would have been horrendous.
What percentage of the time do you see mini vans with 7 passengers inside? (this goes for every car/truck/suv/van you see on the road). I can tell you the last time I had a passenger in my car, it was July of last year. My guess is the numbers that are quoted are for full vehicles, not for the average commuter.
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