chevalier

Couldn't figure out how to enter a post on a new subject so hope you will all forgive my jumping in on this thread. For at least two months I have observed something stupid regarding a certain 26 bus and wonder why it hasn't been reported and if so, remedied. The recorded announcement when the door opens is supposed to let blind people know what bus it is, right? Well, this 26 bus, number 3005, appears at the East 12th and Superior stop westbound every day at 3:15 (and probably several other times too) and the recorded announcement says "263 bus, Great Northern Park and Ride". It isn't even one of the Park and Ride highway coaches, I can imagine the driver constantly having to tell obviously blind customers that it isn't really the 263 but does inner city Detroit Avenue. I'm sure he has to have reported it. What happened?

I had hoped to learn about some forward thinking plans for northeast Ohio on this Forum but haven't seen anything after several months. Should I be on some other website? We need some planning for restoration of service like the interurbans between cities had in the 1930s until the cabal between the auto and oil companies succeeded in dismantling the interurban and streetcar lines in favor of gas powered buses. Now that we need them where are they? Toronto has our streetcars and is laughing at us. The interurbans reached to Toledo (as well as other northwestern Ohio cities) and also connected to Detroit. Rapid Transit hasn't grown since the expansion to the airport. Where are the plans to expand west or east- or south? Why does the east Rapid stop at Windermere? It's like CTS is still running the show- not being able to go outside the boundaries of the city of Cleveland. When is RTA going REGIONAL as its name implies? We need light rail to Mentor (Blue Line extended thru Euclid and Willoughby), Lorain (along the old Nickel Plate right of way thru Lakewood, Rocky River, Bay Village and Avon Lake to catch commuters), Parma, Medina (thru Strongsville), a Red Line extension to North Olmsted (through to Elyria?), and through Brecksville to Akron. We need leadership and lobbying on the state and federal level to get the funds. Our state and federal legislators better wake up and start helping an enlightened RTA leadership (when it so becomes) before gasoline is a thing of the past.

These officers may also be enforcing jaywalking statutes and issuing warnings or citations regarding other violations as necessary. JAYWALKING STATUTES? Are theya trying to start a revolution? Cleveland is the jaywalking capital of at least Ohio if not the midwest. Try it in Columbus and see what happens.

I have two things to say. First, a friend of mine was trying to get a petition signed by riders on the Airport Rapid when RTA police told her to desist. What's up with that? Do they have orders from management? Also, I notice that some people don't seem to adhere to a reasonable standard of decency when talking about certain politicians (who usually seem to get reelected with overwhelming majorities so it seems someone likes them despite our commentators' sour grapes). It serves no purpose to what we're trying to accomplish in saving our routes to post rabid partisan denunciations here. It just makes everyone who likes the polotician (s) in question think suspiciously of every further post from that person, good ideas or not. Let's be grownups. Best regards, Chevalier in Fairview Park

I've seen some really good ideas by informed people. We can't blame RTA- they're out of money. We need to demand that our representatives fund bus travel and rail EXPANSION- it's way past time for RTA to branch out to Parma, Euclid (at least) and North Olmsted. Remember the interurbans? Where are they when we need them? Toronto has our old streetcars and are laughing at us. How about forming a citizen organization to work actively on mass transit expansion in northeast Ohio to include light rail for surrounding counties? (As I'm a newbie, forgive me if there's already one such organization for citizens- just inform me about it!) Yesterday I circulated a petition addressed to the RTA board with copies to the state Representative (Jennifer Brady) and state Senator (Robert Spada) for North Olmsted, Rocky River and Fairview Park and Cong. Dennis Kucinich on the morning and evening 96F (middle bus of the three). Another passenger had the good suggestion to go to the Rocky River Senior Center and get people there who use the Circulator to sign one also which my wife will do today. (Most suburbs have a Senior Center and this is a great place to get signatures for your local Circulator.) You can all start a petition for your bus route or Circulator. Make at least three pages for riders to sign (Name, Address, City). Also make several blank copies with the route number blank to be filled in and pass them off to others who want to circulate one on a different bus route they use. You have to act quickly and get the completed petitions to RTA and your Representatives. In the petition stress that you want all levels of government to work with each other to get funding to keep the route you're interested in. Mention the Public Transit Emergency Relief Act of 2008 to Cong. Kucinich. If we deluge them with signatures we may have a good chance of getting funding and saving the more heavily used routes. After all, elections are coming..... Best regards, Chevalier

Well, I'm really shocked at the news but we have to work on this constructively. I take the 96F and cutting that out means I'd have to walk seven blocks to the 75X morning and night in all seasons. My wife would really be set back getting a job because she relies on the Circulator to connect with other buses to get downtown. We need to tell our state and federal representatives that RTA needs funding desperately in order to get cars off the road and save citizens money the way gas prices are going. It seems this tragedy would have the opposite effect. Nobody should resist higher fares instead of service cuts it that'll save most of the rush hour routes at least because we'll be paying big time in the end not only in gas but in car maintenance.