Voluntary Disclosure « The Gondola Project

Voluntary Disclosure

06
Nov

2009

Voluntary Disclosure

In the interest of honesty, let me state plainly that I have, in the past, provided planning services for the Doppelmayr /Garaventa Group, the world’s largest manufacturer of Cable-Propelled Transit (CPT) in the world. I maintain a relationship with them to this day.

Should this fact cloud your opinion of The Gondola Project or Cable-Propelled Transit? Possibly. Is this a potential conflict of interest? Also possibly, which is why I am making this disclosure.

I do not work on commission. If CPT sales increase, I get nothing and I think that’s the way it should be. Nor am I paid to maintain this website. I maintain this website because I love it and genuinely believe people should learn about CPT.

As I’ve said before, I do not believe CPT is a panacea or a cure-all. Nor do I believe that it is applicable in all situations. It is, however, a fine and deserving addition to the existing family of transit technologies.

In this space, I will not endorse the work, service or products of an individual Cable-Propelled Transit manufacturer. The purpose of The Gondola Project is not to advocate for one company over another, but instead to spread the idea that CPT deserves mainstream acceptance and understanding within transit planning circles.

I will, however, provide objective critiques of individual systems and technologies so that people can learn from the good and the bad examples of cable technology. You’ll find me to be very fair and even-handed.

Finally, the opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Doppelmayr/Garaventa, the Cable-Propelled Transit industry or CUP Projects.

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Voluntary Disclosure

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04
Nov

2009

CPT Is Not A Monorail

When I talk to anyone under the age of 35 about Cable-Propelled Transit (CPT) something almost always occurs:

Without prompting, my partner in conversation will typically invoke the near-legendary Monorail musical number in The Simpsons episode “Marge vs. The Monorail.” For those who’ve never seen it, the story turns around a schemingly tuneful huckster bent on selling the town of Springfield a monorail despite their better instincts:

It’s a classic episode and the analogy is apt. After all, advancing the idea of ski-lifts as transit appears to be hucksterism at its best.

The difference, of course, is that Cable-Propelled Transit is a demonstrable success and monorails aren’t. Monorails are rare in the world and are so prohibitively complex and expensive they tend to become technological albatrosses. Ask anyone in Seattle.

You may think otherwise, but selling monorails is hucksterism. Advocating for cable isn’t.

So for those of you out there biting at the chomp to make the comparison, let me say this: I’m a terrible singer, I don’t earn a commission on any cable technology sales, I don’t know Leonard Nimoy, and I’ve never worn a bow tie in my life.

So there.

(Far Left) Not Me.

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