When browsing through the dense selection of my classmates’ blogs posts, I came across one that caught my eye with its analytical research about the adverse stance on opportunities of start-up firm’s strive for success. This critique made me challenge of the limited sector of opportunities when trying to establish a business while meeting the needed demand.

Surrey Light Rail, a looked upon add-on as a mean of transportation has been widely discussed  in the possibility of their establishment. The functions of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Surrey is hoping to establish would potentially be a parallel to the skytrains launched in 2009. However, the idea of the LRT differs in many aspects.

With a cost of establishment estimation of over $2 billion dollars, the 10.5 km long rail track throughout Surrey limits road space while increasing traffic. Since “ridership depends on speed, convenience, and high frequencies” , with the speed of the trains limited to 50 km per hour, it yields an incentive for locals to turn to the use of their own vehicles. Not to mention the problem of limited passenger capacity (4080 pphpd) the LRT can hold while regarding the rush hour capacity to be almost double that amount.

When compared to Canada Line’s launch in 2009, we can view their value proposition as one that appealed to many; providing a faster and more efficient means of transportation in the sky above the traffic. It is because of the limited public transit options such as taxis and or busses fixed on the road that raised this incentive of investing in the idea of skytrains. This became Canada Line’s “middle ground” for the start of their skytrains.

Unfortunately, with no current visible middle ground or holes in the market sector for Light Rail Transit, it is hard for Surrey to continue with their project as there are no target spots of opportunity for them to reach. The existing skytrains crossing between the Lower Mainland already satisfies the commuters of Surrey; whom of which are not actively looking for a better means of transportation. Moreover, with the LRT located on ground level alongside traffic takes away from the attraction of commuters who look to “escape traffic”. 

Therefore, without an eye catching point of difference that appeals to the public, Surrey’s Light Rail Transit will have no chance in competing against the buses, taxis, or other vehicles that are relatively faster and more efficient. This way, ironically, LRT will only be adding onto the problem of inconvenience that they are trying to mitigate.

 

Word Count: 415

Note that this blog was prompted by the well written post by Harrison Lee on the success of Herschel backpacks.

Work Cited:

Canada Line opens. (2017, March 26). Retrieved October 28, 2017, from https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/canada-line-opens/article1201319/?ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theglobeandmail.com&

LightRail Links. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2017, from http://www.lightraillinks.com/

Nair, R. (2016, September 15). Light rail to Surrey by 2018: tips from Toronto’s chief planner. Retrieved October 28, 2017, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/toronto-light-rail-transit-tips-1.3761896

News. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2017, from https://www.bchydro.com/news/conservation/2011/canada_line_lighting_design.html

Pill, J. (n.d.). Subways and Light Rapid Transit. Retrieved October 28, 2017, from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/subways-and-light-rapid-transit/

Staff, V. B. (2015, December 21). Free public transit in Metro Vancouver on New Year’s Eve. Retrieved October 28, 2017, from http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/12/free-public-transit-metro-vancouver-new-years-eve-2016/

The Ubiquitous Backpack – Harrison Lee’s COMM 101 Blog. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2017, from https://blogs.ubc.ca/harrisonnlee/2017/10/15/the-ubiquitous-bag/

Trending. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2017, from http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-light-rail-skytrain-mistakes-underbuilt

Wood, G. (2017, June 30). Feature: 150 seminal moments in Richmond. Retrieved October 28, 2017, from http://www.richmond-news.com/news/weekly-feature/feature-150-seminal-moments-in-richmond-1.20857851