Saturday Musette
The following items are not specifically related to bicycling, but since I have a general interest in transportation, I've included them here. I'm especially excited about the mini-truck bill because small, fuel efficient vehicles have great utility here in Tulsa. The average commute is about 5 miles, so these small trucks and vans will be popular......Ed
Tulsa Transit Mulls Route to Suburbs
By RHETT MORGAN World Staff Writer
Tulsa World, 6/20/2008
Owasso and Collinsville are excited about a proposed bus route to downtown Tulsa.
The Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority is considering the addition of an express route from Collinsville and Owasso to downtown Tulsa.
Leaders from each city support the single-bus line, which would cost the suburbs a combined $40,000, said Tulsa Transit General Manager Bill Cartwright.
"Representatives from both cities are excited about the idea and feel like it's something that they need to do and implement as soon as possible," he said.
"I think that they feel pretty confident that that's going to happen."
Approval from Owasso's City Council and Collinsville's City Commission is needed for the plan to go forward.
Neither town has placed it on a meeting agenda, although that could happen this summer.
Urban Tulsa Weekly, JUNE 18, 2008
First of Mini
New law paves the way for Japanese mini-trucks to roam Tulsa streets
BY BRIAN ERVIN
They're somewhat of an exotic species here in Tulsa, but Japanese mini-trucks might soon be as prevalent in urban and suburban Oklahoma as they are in Asia, thanks to a new state law that passed this year.
"They're like European smart cars, but Okie-style," state Rep. Don Armes told UTW.
...They're currently in use as off-road vehicles by an unknown number of ranchers and farmers throughout rural Oklahoma, but some are predicting that mini-trucks' miniscule appetite for gasoline will make them a common sight in Tulsa and other urban areas within the next year or so, once they're legal.
They get between 30-40 miles per gallon, depending on the model.
...They max at about 55 mph, though, so they won't be allowed on interstates or turnpikes, but they should be perfect for getting around Tulsa's city streets.
Most Americans are already familiar with the manufacturers that make them, like Mitsubishi, Mazda, Honda, Suzuki, etc.
Labels: collinsville, minitruck, multi-mode transportation, owasso, tulsa transit
posted by Ed W at 4:55 PM
2 Comments:
That mini truck looks pretty cool. I could carry bikes on it. I wonder what its fuel efficiency is like.
The ones I've seen get about 40 mpg. Apparently there are both 2WD and 4WD versions. A friend is thinking about buying one for air conditioner service.
Japan imposes an air pollution tax on older vehicles, so there's an incentive to have a newer vehicle that pollutes less. The older ones are available for export. They'll probably be right hand drive.
Like I said, the average commute here is only about 5 miles. I could use one of these minitrucks, but then I probably wouldn't ride my bike, and the exercise is very important.
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