JMasek

Regarding communication of shutdowns... 1. Much of the info is posted at rail stations and on vehicles. It has to be brief. People read it "on the fly." 2. The most important thing is to give riders the news and their options, as in "Buses will replace trains on the Red Line on this date and this time. Please allow extra time for your trip." 3. To be consistent, we tend to use the same language everywhere, so there is consistency in the message. Generally speaking, shutdowns are slated on weekends when there are no major special events. I have passed along your observation that some riders are seeking more explanation, and see if we can accomplish that in the future. Whenever communications are drafted, our diverse customer base is at the forefront of our decisions.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: RTA has set a Feb 21 meeting to discuss the proposed University Circle-Little Italy Station. Construction should begin this summer. http://www.riderta.com/nu_notices-community.asp

RTA introduces a new program called iWatch, which gives riders the opportunity to send text, photos and videos directly to Transit Police. http://www.riderta.com/newsroom/releases/?listingid=1819

Click here for information on RTA priorities with seeking federal funds (informative document), and PowerPoint presentations on cameras on buses, and a proposed bike sharing plan. http://www.riderta.com/newsroom/releases/?listingid=1837

Regarding the Web site, there is a scroller on the home page with four (or five) rotating messages. I check every morning at 6 a.m. with Rail Dispatch, and if there is an unusual interruption, it goes into the scroller. Now you were saying...

Now that the PD has clearly defined the parking "problem", we urge them to give equal space to the solution.

Regarding the parking issue, RTA is already working closely with Film Festival officials to raise awareness of all options. I believe the Film Festival office will offer you a transit pass when you purchase an advance ticket to the festival....and so on.

The name of the station remains Flats East Bank. There was an error made on a paper that The Plain Dealer received.

FYI, from a Washington DC newsletter, "Morning Transportation". It centers on Congressional issues, but does have other news. MOMENTUM FOR METRO: Our subway system wants to grow up and get some "Momentum." That's the name of WMATA $26 billion plan for Metro, which would dig new downtown tunnels to increase capacity, create new Rosslyn and Pentagon stations and add new pedestrian tunnels at the Farraguts and Metro Center/Chinatown. Metro's board launched the forward-looking discussion in its Thursday meeting, and is on a timeline to officially adopt the plan by mid-year. Many of the largest improvements would be further out, by 2040, but new bus networks, pocket tracks and the uniform distribution of eight-car trains would come sooner, by 2025. If - and it's a big if - Metro finds some more money.

RTA buys 10 Paratransit vehicles that are fueled with propane, others may follow. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/01/rta_looking_at_replacing_its_f.html

^ Yes, we are doing a better job of communicating, and yes, we can do better, and we will. Several staff members here are reading your message and looking to see how we can handle it better next time. For more info on Commuter Alerts, go to www.rideRTA.com/commuteralerts You can have messages sent to a PC, as well as a mobile device. I do not have a smart phone either.

Gildone, I am sorry that you had such a horrific trip. I will pass along the info to those who were in charge, so we can handle things better next time. I have 2 points to share with you. 1. I recommend you subscribe to Commuter Alerts. It is the single best way to keep up with unexpected rail service changes. 2. Anytime a bus replaces a train, the bus serves ALL the Rapid Stations affected. We should not assume that every passenger knows this.

^ We agree. They have all been instructed to do so.

There was a power problem around Tower City, and a bus bridge was formed. Full service began to resume around 7am, but it took a while to reach the point of normalcy. We apologize for the inconvenience.

I do not know if a layout is available, but all the things you mentioned are allowed: 1. In open areas by the doors. 2. In an open area near the doors, where seats have been removed. 3. If a car is full (such as on March 17 or for a Browns game), allowing bikes to board is at the discretion of the operator.

Actual Red Line ridership in 2012 -- 6.24 million

If you are at Tower City during rush hour, stop in to the Rotunda and hear some great music. http://www.riderta.com/newsroom/releases/?listingid=1833

A hydrogen-fueled bus has joined RTA's fleet: http://www.riderta.com/newsroom/releases/?listingid=1818

Agenda for Jan. 22 RTA Board meeting: http://www.riderta.com/newsroom/releases/?listingid=1832

RTA ridership up by 2 million rides in 2012: http://www.riderta.com/newsroom/releases/?listingid=1834

Note from Bryan Moore, supervisor, RTA shelter shop: Thanks for the information. I have received several calls, but the solar shelters that are on Mayfield at Warrensville and Coventry, WB belong to the City of Cleveland Heights. They have been notified every time I am informed. They are working on fixing it.

Within a few weeks, RTA should debut its new screen flow for the public to see. There will be several fare vending machines at Tower City. I will tell you more when it's ready.

How about a little music to send you on your way? RTA now offers live music in the Tower City Station Rotunda area from 3:30-6:30 p.m. on third Thursday of each month. Groups range from rock to blues, jazz, bagpipes -and classical. The next event is Jan. 17. We tried to get Johnny Cash to come down and sing "I hear the train a-coming" -- but he was already booked!

There is a Red Line lane at the West Third Street Rapid Station to help crowd control after a game. Passengers who are taking the Red Line have to change trains at Tower City, others do not. RTA has improved its handling of special events greatly in recent years. We tried this, and it was a big help. The last time I checked, it took 45 minutes to disperse a Browns post-game crowd. We'll try to improve on that next year.

Sorry, my quote function does not work... In response to the question about CNG at RTA, the majority of buses in the fleet now use "low-sulfur diesel fuel," which is far better for air quality than the former diesel-fueled buses. This is also known as "clean diesel". At the time of the switch, RTA did an extensive cost comparison of CNG vs low-sulfur diesel fuel. As I recall, CNG was only slightly cleaner (as far as air quality), but the cost difference was great. CNG buses were far more expensive to buy and to maintain. RTA made a decision at that time to use clean diesel, because it was good for both for the environment and for the budget. I do not have easy access to these numbers now.