JMasek

As many of you know, RTA employees are given free transit access (through our photo ID card). The last time I checked, employees took more than 1 million rides a year on the system. For that, we are expected to report things we see right, and things we see wrong. I know that I report several things a month, and often stop to help first-time riders who may be a bit confused about how to use the system. I cannot speak for other employees. We are all expected to have pride of ownership in the system.

I just did. I have been out of the office for a few weeks and just catching up on the posts now. Original posts on the W. 25th St. Station and the West Blvd. Station have been forwarded verbatim. Remember, posting on this list may be great for on-line conversation, but changes will not occur until they are reported to RTA. There are channels for this on the Web site, and you are free to let me know, as well. Thanks.

RTA wins national safety award for second year in a row http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1587

Urban Land Institute (ULI) presents HealthLine with Award for Excellence http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1589

RTA introduces its newest and greenest equipment yet: the Segway. http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1588

Only ridership highlights were listed above. We are seeing an increase in these areas. Bus ridership has not quite rebounded yet.

TV-5 aired a good story on the opening of the Puritas Station http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/new-rta-rapid-station-to-be-dedicated-tuesday

Good news on RTA ridership... Comparing April 2011 to April 2010... * Heavy rail up 18 percent * Light rail up 5 percent Comparing year-to-date, Jan-April, 2011 to 2010... * HealthLine up 3.5 percent * Heavy rail up 11 percent * Light rail up 1 percent * Total rail up 7.7 percent Average weekday ridership is up 2 percent, or 3,367 trips per day, compared to last year. This is the highest average daily ridership has been since 2009. Total Rapid Transit ridership increased by 13.5 percent in April. This is the highest rail ridership since 2007. Daily average ridership on the rail system grew by 16 percent. Nearly 4,000 more customers rode the Rapid daily than last April. Trolley ridership in April was 87,885; an increase of 5%, or 4,203 more rides than last April. Average daily trolley ridership was 4,185 rides. 3,022 bikes were boarded in April...an 8.3 percent increase over last year. Year-to-date bike related trips are 7,391.

RTA's 2010 annual report is now available on-line at http://www.riderta.com/annual/.

clvlnder Your rant is full of your opinions, and you are entitled to them. But there is one major flaw in comparing Tober to Calabrese. I have worked for both men, and both are assets to transit. But they were here in vastly different times. Tober's tenure was had more money and thus service expansion. If Tober had to face what Calabrese has faced -- a shrinking budget every year -- he may have made some of the same decisions. We'll never know. In this decade, federal dollars are tighter, state dollars are almost zero, and the sales tax revenue has tanked. Maintaining fiscal integrity -- keeping RTA afloat until things get better -- is a high priority.

Re: recent HealthLine ridership info, here's more: * Calendar Year 2009: 3.924 million * Calendar Year 2010: 4.169 million, up 6.2 percent

Another transit property begins testing talking bus system Following the lead of transit systems in Cleveland and Portland, Ore., the Maryland Transit Administration is testing a pedestrian warning system on 10 of its buses. As the bus heads into a turn, a voice over the external PA system warns, "Pedestrians, the bus is turning!" The Baltimore Sun [3-29] >> Video by Kim Hairston / The Baltimore Sun http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/commuting/bs-md-mta-bus-alert-20110328,0,7301009.story

Based on what standard? Just scanning through the previous page of this thread, it appears that there are still major operational problems. If this is something that "works well," I'd hate to see what's considered a failure. Ridership has increased every month since service began, and development is still WAY up over other areas of Cleveland. Is the service perfect? No. Is RTA working on continual improvement? Yes. A good person -- or a good company -- is never satisfied, but always working on improvement.

Comparing Feb. 2011 to Feb. 2010: * Ridership up 2.5 percent, or 8,100 rides * Total rides in Feb. 2011 -- 329,700 * Total rides, year-to-date -- 670,000, a 5 percent increase over 2010 Ridership has shown an increase every month since service began in Oct. 2008.

You asked about "thoughts". I have no way of knowing what others are thinking, but there has not been any discussion of extending the line, which is experiencing ridership growth every month. All the factors that make the HealthLine a success for this stretch of Euclid Avenue may not be present in other areas of Euclid Avenue. The first step would be for a suburb to invite RTA to the table. Then there would a study to see if BRT would work, and at what level. Then, funding would have to be secured. As RTA has said before, it is looking at other areas where BRT might be useful. Now that we know it works -- and works well -- it is part of the mix anytime improvements are considered in a corridor. Thanks for asking.

^Exact totals are still being compiled, but early estimates are that we more than doubled the rail ridership -- and that's not even counting the "short green people" who snuck on with their pot of gold. It continues to be our largest ridership day of the year.

Appearances can be deceiving. There was a major presence at Tower City to be sure, but there were Transit Police all over the system. I worked at the Brookpark Station that day, and saw police on duty all day long. The regular force of 100+ officers was augmented by several federal officers.

Spring service changes take effect April 3, none are major. http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1557

St. Patrick's Day preview: http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1555 It's impossible to say how many cars will be on the train that you board on any rail line. There are many variables. The bottom line: we will put out the maximum level of service we can. And yes, there will be staff at major facilities to help keep the crowds moving.

As Mike McIntyre writes about in today's TipOff column in the PD, RTA will use 3-car Red Line trains to handle the Irish crowds on Thursday. Doors will not open on the third car at stations where it cannot be used safely. I know 3-car trains have been discussed here, so I wanted to point that out.

Based on what I know, that would be called a charter, and it is prohibited by federal law. That's why you no longer see RTA's Park-n-Ride lots operating special coaches to Browns and Indians games. This is "public" transit, so any service we operate has to be open to the public, not just special groups. RTA operates extra service for special events, etc., because we expect increased demand. The service is still for everybody. Thanks for the idea.

^ Gee, I sit a few feet away from "the guy in charge." I will pass along your comments.

The magazine and on-line site, Government Technology, posted a story yesterday on the growth of "audible bus warnings" or "talking buses", as they are often called. Of course, they talked to RTA. http://www.govtech.com/transportation/Public-Buses-Warn-Pedestrians-030211.html

I know the posters here have wanted RTA to be more active in cyberspace. Well, we now offer Commuter Alerts for rail (www.rideRTA.com/commuteralerts), Facebook for everyone, and two Twitter accounts -- one general, and another just for Park-n-Ride issues. Your feedback is always appreciated.

RTA's twice-a-month e-newsletter was sent yesterday to more than 8,800 subscribers. Are you one of them? If not, you can sign up today at: http://www.riderta.com/important_info.asp