Seattle Weighs Streetcars vs. Trolley Buses

Funny to think that for the future of Seattle surface transportation, technology with roots in the late 1800s is being compared to technology that is not much younger. Streetcars and Electric Trolley buses were in a shootout last night at the city council meeting after the city's department of transportation presented reports on which parts of Seattle would be best served by either one.

Up front, the costs for electric buses are lower, but the report stated that the system doesn't last as long as a streetcar system or light rail line - which both cost more per mile. Then there's the thing that nobody wants to mention here, because it's a heartstring argument: data indicates streetcars bring in ridership better than buses, even if the overall costs are higher.