Trying to write a post each day about cable transit and urban gondolas is exhausting. There’s so much more in the world of transportation that’s worth talking about, but just isn’t within the purview of this site. As such, I get my fix from other sites like Jarrett Walker’s excellent Human Transit blog.
Jarrett’s blog contains a wealth of information and insight and is great at cutting through the garbage. He provides strong global analysis, particularly when it comes to comparisons between transit technologies. His streetcars vs light rail post is a great example. He also manages to avoid the partisan bickering that is so irritating about most transit blogs nowadays.
I recently solicited Jarrett’s opinion about cable (via email) because his hometown is Portland, home of the Portland Aerial Tram. Among other things, Jarrett had this to say:
I’m not for or against gondolas (or aerial trams as I’ve heard them called). There is clearly a category of steep hillclimbing problems for which they’re the best tool . . . As near as I can tell, one of the major negatives of gondolas is the extreme difficulty/cost/hassle associated with intermediate stops. They pretty much have to be a direct link between just two stops, right?
Jarrett approaches the concept with questions, not statements of fact. For him, it’s not a question of For or Against. He admits he doesn’t know much about the matter (“as near as I can tell”) and finishes with an explicit question (“just two stops, right?”). He clearly doesn’t understand the difference between an aerial tram and a gondola system, but why should he? He’s never had to address the question so the two are equivalent, which makes perfect sense. Furthermore, his perception is clearly coloured by his experience with Portland. But he’s confident enough in his abilities and worldview to recognize that Portland alone may not tell the whole story.
After I responded to his response, he had this today:
Thanks. I was ignorant about the difference between a gondola and an aerial tram!
I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to encounter a transportation planner that is willing to say they were “ignorant” about something. Even more refreshing is someone who demonstrates that learning about new things requires an open mind and a willingness to admit they don’t know everything. Jarrett’s a skeptic in the very best way.
I’ve sometimes heard that it’s not a good idea to hire consultants who are “learning on the job.” I couldn’t agree less. The best consultants are those highly competent individuals who want to learn on the job, but do so in a fast, efficient manner. These are people who want to learn about new ideas, new concepts and apply them to your particular situation. They’re valuable.
The world’s changing too fast nowadays to hire consultants who aren’t learning on the job. Consultants who’ve stopped learning will give you the answer to yesterday’s problems. Consultants who never stop learning, on the other hand, will give you the answer to tomorrow’s problems.
Which would you choose? Me, I’m going with Jarrett.