Over the holiday season, the British media picked up on the story that, apparently, the number of commuters on the Emirates Air Line has literally dropped to zero. Numerous publications (such as here, here, and here) argued this was evidence of the folly of the project and proof of how much of a white elephant...
Can recreation and conservation co-exist? Ask groups like the Grand Canyon Escalade opposition group Save the Confluence or the anti-Cheddar Gorge Cable Car circle at Keep Cheddar Gorgeous and the answer seems clear—no, they cannot. Yet, of course they can. Recreation and conservation are not mutually exclusive. Look at scuba diving, for example. The current...
Back in October, the Daily Mail posted their list of the most breathtaking gondola rides in the world. The inventory of cable car systems, which included Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Teleferico de Merida in Venezuela, and the rotating Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in California, is impressive, if a little bit obvious. So we...
Tucked away in the picturesque seaside resort town of Palavas-les-Flots, there exists a nearly unknown (at least in the English speaking world) but delightful little chairlift called the Transcanal. Built in 1977, the Transcanal is only 83m in length and transport joyriders across the coastal river of Le Lez for €1.20 (one way) or €2.00 (roundtrip). — —...
A recent conversation with guest contributor Ross Edgar brought up an interesting topic that’s yet to be discussed on the Gondola Project: cable cars and pets. This is a little surprising to us, especially since we ourselves have Joy, our very own office hound who’s been aboard countless gondola trips. In the US alone, the...
Befitting a country with some of the best transportation options in the world, Switzerland is home to the Swiss Museum of Transport (naturally). As Switzerland also has more cable cars per capita than any other country on earth, it also makes sense that said museum would have the world’s only permanent exhibition discussing this website’s favourite subject....
That couldn’t possibly happen here. You don’t know how it works here. People here see things in another way. Things are more complicated here. It’s different here. We couldn’t do that here. All true and no-doubt honestly spoken when said. But here’s the thing: That couldn’t possibly happen here — actually, it probably could. Stuff happens. You don’t...
It’s important not to forget the importance of small victories. For example, last week a newspaper columnist wrote the following in Canada’s largest daily newspaper: “Can’t decide between an LRT or a subway? A busway or a gondola? Don’t expect help from these characters. Sorry. You are on your own.” The quote comes from a...
Last week, Steven wrote an interesting post about the psychology of travel decisions for public transit riders. Unlike driving, riding a bus or train tends involve a host of a variables (i.e. ticket price, wait times, transfer times, and dwell times) which ultimately affects a passenger’s decision. One of these factors, price, is probably one of...
You can talk about “Essential Services” in one of two ways: The first way is as a commodity, as a necessity of society or as a basic provision of life. More often than not, these essential services take the form of monopolies and organized cartels. They’re necessary and useful, but rarely ever pleasant. The second...