JMasek

1. We worked with the Tribe head office to coordinate transit PR for Thursday and Friday. 2. Tribe VP Bob DiBiasio has appeared on most major radio stations -- AM talk shows -- talking Tribe and always mentioning to take RTA. 3. RTA's Chad Self was interviewed by TV-5, with maps showing where major parking lots are along the Rapid. Stories appeared on Tuesday and Wednesday 4. Chad Self was also interviewed by TV-19 on the best way for riders to get downtown. Rick Abel has mentioned it on every helicopter segment Thursday evening. 5. We have left transit info at all major hotels, to share with guests. 6. The downtown trolleys have signage promoting the games. 7. And, there is a press release on our Web site. Please know that although the playoffs are new, RTA and baseball fans have already lived through 81 home games. Most fans who plan to use RTA have already used RTA. The Puritas lot was pretty full Thursday night...so fans were getting the message. Thanks for asking.

You are correct. We carry the title for one year, and you will see it used extensively in new and on-going marketing efforts.

I am told that RTA is close to finalizing an agreement with CSU. Once that is done, we will start to work with an architect.

Shaker Square waiting areas ARE covered. That's the open-space building on each side of the tracks with white arch windows and an elevator for the disabled. I do not believe any of our tracks are covered, other than for the tunnels at the Airport and Tower City.

The October Rider's Digest contains this story: The new RTA Red Line rail station – Highland Square at West 117th Street – will be formally dedicated at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The new name is a reference to a neighborhood name used in the 1800s. The station’s red brick exterior reflects nearby manufacturing plants, and keeps the flavor of the neighborhood. The design was a joint effort of staff from the Cudell Improvement Corp., and city officials from Cleveland and Lakewood. A bus loop entrance was moved 250 feet away from the busy intersection, increasing safety. The improved bus loop offers riders an easy, convenient transfer point. The $5.5 million project was 80 percent federally funded. It includes: * Public art. * A larger parking area with 170 spaces. * Handicapped parking places and an ADA-compliant elevator. * A more open and spacious tunnel. * New canopies for passengers who need to walk from the station to waiting buses. * An energy-efficient LED neon light, with the RTA graphic, on top of the station will stay lit all night. * A heated waiting area for up to 50 persons on the platform level. Design work is progressing on new rail stations at, Puritas, Woodhill, East 55th Street and University-Cedar Stations.

You can buy a 5-trip farecard with transfer privilege built into each trip. These are available from the RTA Web site and many retail outlets.

It's not my "philosophy"...I was just explaining some things to you from an historical perspective...."here is what happened and why."

1.) The last time I checked, about 1.3 million employee rides were recorded in a given year. Personally, I only drive when I have to, such as on those days when I have a personal obligation in Akron or Painesville right after work. I drive one day a month, or less. I hate it. 2). Joe Calabrese of Westlake uses public transit as often as possible -- at least 3 times a week. Frank Polivka of Madison uses Laketran almost daily. I cannot speak for others...I am not aware of their commuting patterns. 3). I never asked. It is a free country. Possibly, they do not use it because they live outside the county. 4). We don't track these regularly now, but the fare collection system will give us a way to do that. 5). There are a number of employees who left RTA to go to another system, and then fought their way back to get here. Read that as you wish. Employee feedback is easy here. Joe Calabrese holds employee meetings at each major facility 3-4 times a year to update employees on news and get their feedback and suggestions. He is legally qualified to operate both bus and rail, so he understands the specific on-the-job challenges of each job. His e-mail and direct phone are available to all employees. From a personal standpoint, I make several suggestions or comments a month, either on things that are going well, or things we should consider changing.

I will have more details for you as time goes on, but here is the short answer. RTA has purchased a state-of-the-art fare collection system. You will see new fareboxes on all vehicles, probably in mid-November. All Red Line stations will get new fareboxes in 2008. Thanks for asking.

I forwarded an early question about Shaker Square service to Joel Freilich, Director of Service Planning. Here are his responses. <<As a Shaker Square resident and life long Shaker Rapid rider, I like to ask the following:>> Q. More 7PM - 9PM Frequencies? A. Not enough ridership to support more frequent service Q. 24-hour service Friday thru Sunday night? A. Low ridership in the evening indicates that there would be very few riders per trip during the after-midnight period. Q. Return of the Van Aken Express trains? A. Local to Van Aken to Shaker Square, then non-stop to Tower City in either direction. Added convenience for some riders would be outweighed by inconvenience to riders at stops that would be bypassed by express trains. Q. Return of the "Square to Square" Service. A. Not sure what you mean by that. Q. Ask your drivers to lay off the Horn/Whistle/Bell after 9/10PM between Coventry & Drexmore and Shaker Square. I need my beauty sleep! A. Safety is of paramount importance here.

http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1096 Here is the official release...it may be updated later today with more quotes from those who spoke at the 10 a.m. event. Look for news coverage on WCPN, TV-3, TV-5 and for those who live in Cleveland, TV-23. And a personal point of view to those who questioned the quote about "a top priority." In my past, I have served as President of a local chapter of a national organization. When I started my one-year term, I also had a goal of being #1, being named the best in the nation. I mean really, what other goals are there? It gave us a focal point all year, and in the end, we won. When Joe Calabrese came to RTA, he saw a lot of costly projects in the planning phase. He knew that 1). Cleveland was not growing, and 2). we would be lucky to get federal funding for one project, let alone several. In a sense, we were competing against ourselves. At that time, it was decided that the Euclid Corridor Project had the best chance of funding, and that decision has proven corrent. Calabrese also changed RTA's emphasis from "big projects" to "back to the basics" -- on-time perfomance, safety, cleanliness and customer service, finances, image. He had a vision. The Board, the staff and other elected got on Board, and now, we won the award. Thanks for your support.

For several reasons...and they will all be spelled out on Monday. I can't say much more than that now, but I did want to give this group of supporters some heads up on the news.

There was an earlier glitch in the posting. It should be clear now. East 55th St. Station page http://www.riderta.com/majorprojects/e55.asp skip the text and go right to the artwork http://www.riderta.com/images/rapid_stations/e55_east_800x518.jpg

Thank you for your on-going transit support. We may disagree on the details, but we all believe transit is important. That's why we are here on this Forum. The following is really good news, and I am pleased to share it with you. MEDIA ADVISORY RTA declared North America’s best public transit system WHAT: APTA President William Millar will announce RTA's receipt of APTA’s Outstanding Public Transportation System Award. This means RTA has been selected as the BEST PUBLIC TRANPORTATION SYSTEM IN NORTH AMERICA. WHEN: Monday, October 1, 10 a.m. WHERE: Euclid Avenue at East 40th Street, new bus station WHO: William Millar, President, APTA George V. Voinovich, U.S. Senator, Ohio Frank G. Jackson, Mayor, city of Cleveland Peter Lawson Jones, Commissioner, Cuyahoga County Deborah Sutherland, Mayor, City of Bay Village and President of the Cuyahoga Mayors and Managers Joseph A. Calabrese, CEO & GM, RTA

As some of you know, RTA is planning a new station at East 55th Street. The station site is being moved, and there are other challenges. Click here for details and artwork. http://www.riderta.com/majorprojects/e55.asp

I just read the print version of Metro Magazine, and found these stories that may interest the forum. 1. A list of the nation's top 100 bus fleets...RTA ranks 28th. 2. Ron Tober retires after 38 years in transit. 3. A feature on Seattle streetcars. 4. A column, "Why streetcar projects need to forget the feds for now" www.metro-magazine.com

If I may make an observation...Please consider this. For every story or mention of RTA that IS used in the media, there are plenty of "pitches" and story ideas that are tossed by the media. We work with every media outlet daily. In all fairness, how can you say, "think outside the box more"...when you do not know how many things have been tried...and didn't work? We will continue to pitch. Every time we have a message, we use on-line capabilities, send faxes, call media, deliver items to stations, keep ourselves available 24/7 to respond to their needs, and post news for riders. The media's definition of "news" is changing. For instance, when we approached several TV stations to do "educational" pieces on safety and the new Euclid Ave. traffic patterns, they took just the opposite approach. "How dare RTA write jaywalk tickets and enforce the law?" was pretty much the attitude. These days, it is sometimes seen as "better" when you interject opinions into news stories. Another example: We have all seen reporters camped at Hopkins with breathless reports on holiday travel, etc. Annually, RTA carries five times more people than Hopkins does. We tell them that, but it would help if you did too. If you want to see RTA get more attention in a given media...call them. We appreciate your support and efforts to make more people aware of the benefits of public transit. I recently heard a person call in to a radio station with thoughtful transit comments...it would not surprise me if he also posts here. If so, thanks, whoever you are. These comments are based on 36 years in and around the media, and seven years as RTA's 24/7 spokesman. Thanks for listening. I'll try to stop back before 5 p.m.

For those of you who want to more fully understand the new traffic flow patterns on Euclid Avenue, and why ALL traffic laws must be obeyed, please click on this link. Thanks. http://www.riderta.com/safety/ectp.asp

For your reading pleasure... WASHINGTON, DC –The most powerful weapon you can use to combat global climate change may be a daily transit pass, according to a new study that was released today http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1093

Interesting story in today's Columbus Dispatch. People are driving less > they are buying less gas > revenue from the gas tax is down > ODOT cannot fund some projects http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/09/24/RoadBloc.ART_ART_09-24-07_A1_UP80BCP.html?sid=101

This morning on WMJI, there was a lively -- but often inaccurate -- discussion on jaywalking enforcement on Euclid Avenue. I did not discover this until near the discussion was almost over. I called in briefly to note: 1. Transit Police have full police police powers, same as city police. (Many callers found this hard to believe). 2. Enforcement is a matter of safety, not revenue. We make no money. The fines are set by law...$100 max, plus $74 court costs. 3. Police are only ticketing those who ignore verbal warnings. 4. The crosswalks are new and different. Please read all the signs and follow them. It will probably be discussed again on Monday. If you can't get reception in your office, log on to wmji.com, and listen live on-line.

No confusion, Jerry. Do you have an RTA attorney hovering over you while you type? :) Actually, no. Chad Self and I are given a lot of latitude here, which we need, because media often need answers immediately. There are attorneys in our building. We call them when we need them, which fortunately is not very often. They respond quickly to our questions. It is truly a pleasant place to work...there is no micro-managing, at least in this area.

Some Euclid Corridor facts: RTA plans to finish all Public Square work before Thanksgiving and the holiday lights begin. Production of the Rapid Transit Vehicles (RTVs) begin this week. What you have seen to date has been the prototype.

I should have said I was stating personal opinion, not RTA fact. I am sorry for the confusion.

KJP This is a personal post. My trolley remark about "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," was perhaps too simple. Every day, RTA officials sit down and decide what issues and challenges they are going to address that day, and to be sure, there are plenty of issues and challenges facing this agency. Time is an unforgiving resource. An hour spent on one issue means that is an hour you cannot spend on something else. Given all that, one has to wonder, where tinkering with trolley signage falls on a list of priorities. As you know, there are only a few blocks (Warehouse District and Tower City) where both lines operate. On the most of the route, it is not an issue. However, I promise to pass along your ideas. Your continuing interest in improving RTA is appreciated.