The first-mile-last-mile problem

Another transport issue associated with the use of bicycles is that which we call the first-mile-last-mile problem, or FMLM. Due to commonality in use, we won’t attempt to force the issue of transposing this to S.I. units (replacing “mile” with “kilometer”) the same way as we maintain the word “milestone” and don’t change it to “kilometerstone,” which sounds funny. But an understanding of FMLM will help us appreciate the role of bicycles as well as that of another controversial transport mode, the motorcycle-for-hire, commonly called “habal-habal”.

Both the bicycle and habal-habal can accomplish both a direct home-to-work trip or an FMLM trip. To better understand the role the FMLM mode, we need to understand that while public mass transportation is ultimately the best mode possible, in terms of ease and economy of scale, it has limitations --the bigger its capacity, the larger the area it serves, and the farther from its terminal and intermediate boarding and alighting points some commuters may have to navigate. On the other side of the spectrum are the private vehicles --cars and motorcycles-- which are grossly inefficient and unsustainable but offer the epitome of ease in terms of door-to-door service.

The bigger the capacity of a rail or bus is, the farther apart are their stations, and the wider is their coverage area. No one builds railways or busways close to each other, it would be grossly inefficient. But this gives rise to the need for another service --how to get to the station from your home, or to your office/workplace from the station, or both, reversing the steps on the way home. In the past these gave rise to paratransit services --tricycles, trisikads, habal-habals-- from where you get off from the jeepney (or bus or LRT/MRT) to your home (or work). Or walk.

This is the FMLM problem --the last leg of the daily work (or school) trip after the public mass transportation. This is the part where, more often than not, the government does not address, or plan, and the people are left to their own devices. The government concentrates on big-ticket items - the main transport lines (jeepneys, buses, trains). The FMLM is left to the local community which usually results in the poorest quality of service. This part is where people get wet when it rains or suffer the heat during summers, and where people fight and scramble for seats at peak periods. And usually, this is the most inconvenient part of the entire trip, and people know it. At least, the majority who could not and may never be able to afford to buy cars.

There are two bright lights on the horizon; bicycle lanes and the legalization of habal-habal. While there are certainly safety issues in the latter, these can be mitigated, and hopefully, enacted by Congress. As to the former, we are also faced in a funny situation; the government is now concentrating on placing them on high-speed, main/national thoroughfares, and not through quieter neighborhoods where bikers prefer to pedal. In fact, the present bike lane network plans of our cities are almost coincident with the DPWH national roads therein. Funny and sad. (To be continued)