I'll start with what hopefully is the start of a ridership trend signaling a more robust and nationwide economic recovery (heck, Youngstown, Cleveland and Toledo can't save the nation alone!  :-D )....

 

APTA: Rail ridership rebounds in 2Q10  

Tuesday, September 21, 2010 

 

Led by rail transit, public transit ridership rose 0.1% in the second quarter of 2010 compared with the second quarter in 2009, according to a report released Tuesday by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). APTA said the ridership gain, while modest, is the first increase in six quarters. 

 

Sixteen out of 28 light rail systems reported an increase inridership for the second quarter of 2010 as light rail ridership increased nationally by 4.2% in the second quarter of 2010. 

 

Eleven out of 15 heavy rail systems (subways and elevated trains) experienced ridership increases from April through June of 2010 over the same period in 2009. Nationally, heavy rail ridership increased by 2.2%.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/apta-rail-ridership-rebounds-in-2q10.html

 

^Unfortunately it looks like CGRTA was still down year over year for every mode in 2Q10 :(.  Tough to know what to make of the ridership declines given all the route cuts though.

As Suburban Poverty Grows, U.S. Fails to Respond Adequately

Grassroutes | Yonah Freemark | Oct 12th, 2010

 

With all the hullabaloo over Google’s new invention—a car that can drive itself on regular streets—you’d think that America’s favorite company had found the solution for the world’s transportation dilemmas. There’s something magical about the idea that it is possible to replace other modes of transport with individual pods, speeding through traffic directly to and from one’s preferred destination.

 

This fantasy, however, does little for the growing ranks of impoverished people in a country that has been hit severely by the recession and whose unemployment and underemployment problems are far from being resolved soon. According to the Census Bureau, 14.3% of the nation’s population lived under the poverty line in 2009, representing 43.6 million individuals. With the cost of automobile ownership taking a huge chunk out of typical family incomes, transportation—specifically car-based mobility—represents a significant drain on peoples’ resources.

 

Efficient public transportation could provide a realistic solution for those problems, but the demographics of the newly poor suggest that transit is not a realistic option for a majority of those in poverty, because more and more of them live outside of city centers. A series of new reports from the Brookings Institution illustrates this fact dramatically.

 

Full story at:

http://americancity.org/columns/entry/2670/

 

yay for this already and i wish it was even more quiet!

i dont mind the beeping, but i really cant stand that loud pneumatic hiss lowering noise.

 

10/29/2010

 

MTA Works To Bring Down Its Decibel Level

By: John Mancini

 

On the heels of a study saying New Yorkers are being stressed out by too much noise, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority says it's doing what it can to help – at least in one small way. NY1 Transit reporter John Mancini filed the following report on how one sound New Yorkers hear from buses may become a bit less irritating.

 

The beeping noise that buses make while becoming handicapped accessible may not be the loudest thing about the bus, but it can be the most annoying if you live along a route.

 

"At night, when people are trying to sleep or rest in their apartment, the last thing they want to hear is a noisy bus outside their window or door,” said MTA Bus President Joseph Smith.

 

 

video:

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/128017/mta-works-to-bring-down-its-decibel-level/

House rule change eliminates funding guarantees for public transit projects

 

 

These days, the talk of the transit industry centers around the approval of a new six-year surface transportation authorization bill that would fund public transit and highway projects. But once a bill is approved, transit agencies can no longer rest assured the money earmarked is theirs for the taking. Last week, the House approved a series of amendments to House Rules that would “make it easier for members of Congress to reduce the level of funding,” says American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Director of Government Relations Paul Dean.

 

Since the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century was approved in 1998, surface transportation legislation has included a “guarantee” that money included in the authorization bill is automatically appropriated at the annual levels specified in the legislation, says Dean. The rule change eliminates a “point of order,” meaning that an appropriations bill could be brought to the House floor with less money than approved in the authorization bill, he adds. And that has many transit industry officials concerned about future project funding.

 

Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article/House-rule-change-eliminates-funding-guarantees-for-public-transit-projects--25428

"I'll start with what hopefully is the start of a ridership trend signaling a more robust and nationwide economic recovery."

 

Umm, doesn't increased ridership signal an economic downturn, because people are taking the bus instead of driving? Sort of like Wal*mart increasing sales in a recession because customers can't afford Macy's anymore, so they shop at Wal*mart instead? Or Campbell's soup doing well because people are buying soup instead of steaks?

My experience is that transit ridership goes up when the economy goes up. More than two-thirds of transit ridership is for commuting to work, so when there are fewer jobs, there is less commuting among all modes. It doesn't mean that people are just working lower-paying jobs and have to economize on what transportation mode they select. If they aren't working, they aren't commuting -- period. Fewer jobs also means less consumer activities, and that means less sales taxes which is a big revenue source for many transit agencies. So transit agencies often have to cut back on service during hard times, which often hurts ridership too.

Rising gas prices again filling seats on public transit

By Robert J. Hawkins

 

Saturday, April 9, 2011 at noon

 

Gas prices are rising – up more than 22 percent since Jan. 1 and $1 a gallon more than a year ago, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California – zeroing in on the peak reached in June 2008 of $4.63 a gallon in San Diego County.

 

So, not surprisingly, as in 2008, local buses, trolleys and trains are beginning to see rises in ridership -- some in the double digits.

 

Consider this sampling of transit ridership figures from around the county:

 

The San Diego Trolley ridership, after staggering hits in 2009-2010, was up 16.8 percent in December from a year earlier and 13 percent in January. February’s ridership was up 6.9 percent from a year ago. MTS spokesman Rob Schupp says “With only modest gains in trolley ridership for March, we should pass the high-water mark set in March 2009.” which are now a dollar a gallon higher than they were a year ago. An improving employment picture is also bringing passengers back to buses and trolleys.[/size]

 

Read more at: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/apr/09/rising-gas-prices-again-filling-seats-public-trans/

Many jobs out of reach of mass transit

Businesses have gone to suburbs, where buses don't reach, study finds

Thursday, May 12, 2011  03:08 AM

By Robert Vitale

 

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Only a third of the jobs in central Ohio and across the country are within a 90-minute bus ride, which a new report says might jeopardize an economic recovery.

 

Columbus and the Central Ohio Transit Authority rank in the middle of the pack in a Brookings Institution study of transit systems in the nation's 100 biggest metro areas.

 

But the report, scheduled for release today by the Washington-based think tank, found that while almost 70 percent of Americans live close to public transit, just 30 percent of jobs are reachable using that transit.

Read more at: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/05/12/many-jobs-out-of-reach-of-mass-transit.html?sid=101

Media Advisory

5/10/2011

Contact:

Mantill Williams

(202)496-4869

[email protected]

 

Despite Predictions of Lower Fuel Costs, Gas Prices Remain High as Public Transit Savings Soars

 

Public transportation offers individuals a savings of more than $850 a month

 

Washington, DC- Reports of receding gas prices have yet to hit the pumps.  Fueling higher savings for individuals who ride public transportation, who, on average, save  up to $10,230  annually and $853  per month according to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Transit Savings Report which bases these savings  on the May 10, 2011 average national gas price ($3.95 per gallon-reported by AAA) and the national unreserved monthly parking rate. 

 

Since last month gas prices rose another 14 cents, allowing transit riders to save an additional $10 this month. Gas prices have risen nearly $1 since the beginning of 2011 making annual transit saving $115 higher this month, compared to last.  As more and more Americans look for ways to save money at the pump, the choice to switch to public transportation is an easy decision.  Making the change to public transit today gives individuals the opportunity to lower their transportation costs, without sacrificing their freedom and mobility. Switching from driving to riding public transportation is a proven way for individuals to cut monthly and yearly transportation costs. 

 

“Americans need relief from current high gas prices and increasing transportation costs,” states William Millar, president American Public Transportation Association (APTA), “And riding public transit is a sure way to lower costs without sacrificing mobility or access.”

Read more at: http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2011/Pages/110510_May_Transit_Savings.aspx

Sadly, that "without sacrificing their freedom and mobility" remains more aspirational than actual in far too much of the country.  I've taken the bus around Akron.  It's sadly not to the point where I can recommend it to any of my white collar professional coworkers who simply do not have the extra time to wait and to travel.  And, of course, the bus is the only public transit in Akron, like in many Ohio cities.

Cross-posted from the "Another dumb-a$$ list/Ranking of cities" thread in the Discussion section forum.....

 

The 10 Best (and 10 Worst) Cities For Public Transportation

MAY 17 2011, 11:50 AM ET

 

For most of us, the role of public transportation is getting us to work. Every day, Americans make nearly 30 million trips using public transit, and most of these trips are made between home and the office. But what city's public transit does the best job?

 

Last week, the Brookings Institution published a massive effort to measure every possible trip made along 371 transit providers (Amtrak, buses, monorail, metro, etc) in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and the rest of the nation's 100 largest metros. Brookings graded each city according to two criteria -- coverage (the share of Americans within 3/4 miles from a transit stop) and job access (the share of city jobs accessible within 90 minutes of transit) -- to determine the ten best performing cities for public transportation.

 

Here they are.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/05/the-10-best-and-10-worst-cities-for-public-transportation/238985/

 

 

Low-Income Workers Cut Off From New Jobs By Lack Of Public Transit: Study

 

Posted: 06/ 6/11 02:45 PM ET

 

NEW YORK -- The people are in one place, many of the new jobs in another, according to a recent report.

 

"Missed Opportunity: Transit and Jobs In Metropolitan America," a May report from the Brookings Institute, found that nearly 70 percent of people in large metropolitan areas live near some form of public transit. And despite transit route coverage varying from region to region, one rule held true: it's city dwellers with low incomes that have the best access to public transportation. Suburban communities occupied by middle-income and low-income families have the least access.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/06/transit-cuts-costing-work_n_871032.html

 

 

USDOT to provide $175 million in transit grants

 

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced plans to provide up to $175 million in “livability” grants to help urban, suburban and rural communities develop transit options. The grant program will begin accepting applications next week, USDOT officials said in a prepared statement.

 

Local transit agencies will be able to compete for grants from the pool.

 

 

Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=26997

I hope SORTA applies. They could certainly use the money.

Long article but worth reading....

 

High gas prices, rough economy raise demand and challenges for aging public transit systems

07-05-2011 09:17 AM EDT |By BOB SALSBERG, Associated Press

 

BOSTON (Associated Press) -- On a chilly evening last February, a commuter train bound for Worcester, Mass., broke down outside Boston, transforming passengers' usual 80-minute commute into a four-hour nightmare.

 

The train's failure was among the winter lowlights for the Boston-area commuter rail system's fleet of 80 aging locomotives which, among other woes, have had trouble starting, keeping auxiliary power functioning for lighting systems and maintaining enough air pressure for braking systems, according to transit officials.

 

"I can't rely on it at all," said Frank Summers, who has been commuting to Boston from suburban Ashland for about seven years and believes service is declining. "It's always jammed-packed and rarely on time."

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/high-gas-prices-rough-economy-raise-demand-and-challenges-for-aging-public-transit-systems/2011/07/05/gHQAtyRvyH_story.html

Transit News

 

10/3/2011

Contact:

 

Virginia Miller

(202) 496-4816

[email protected]

 

Ridership on Public Transportation Continues to Rise in 2011

Increase of 85.7 million trips in the first six months

 

Nationally, 5.2 billion trips were taken on public transportation in the first six months of 2011, an increase of 85.7 million trips (1.7%) according to a report released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) at its 2011 annual meeting and EXPO in New Orleans.  All major modes of public transportation saw increases, despite the fact that the economic downturn continues.  Heavy rail and light rail saw the largest increases in the first six months with increases of 3.8 percent and 3.7 percent respectively.

 

“There is strong support for public transportation nationwide and the uptick in our 2011 ridership figures is a reflection of this,” said APTA President Millar. “Now is the time for our country to invest more in public transportation and prepare for the larger demand that will occur when the recession ends.”

 

January – June 2011 Ridership Breakdown

Nationally, heavy rail ridership increased by 3.8 percent and 12 out of 15 heavy rail systems (subways and elevated trains) experienced ridership increases in the first six months of 2011 (January – June) over the same period in 2010.  The heavy rail systems with the highest increases in ridership for 2011 were in the following cities: San Juan, Puerto Rico (21.2%); Cleveland, OH (17.2%); Baltimore, MD (10.0%); Boston, MA (8.8%); Miami, FL (6.4%); San Francisco, CA (5.4%); and Lindenwold, NJ/Port Authority Transit Corporation (5.3%).

 

Light rail ridership increased by 3.7 percent in the first six months of 2011, as 18 out of 27 light rail systems reported an increase in ridership from January through June of 2011. Light rail systems in seven cities that saw double digit increases in the first half of the year were: Seattle, WA/ King County Department of Transportation (42.1%); Dallas, TX (32.3%); Philadelphia, PA (17.4%); New Orleans, LA (15.2%); Buffalo, NY (14.1%); Oceanside, CA (11.6%); and Baltimore, MD (10.4%). 

 

From January through June 2011, 23 out of 27 commuter rail systems reported ridership increases and commuter rail ridership grew by 1.0 percent.  Commuter rail in one city saw a triple digit increase due to new service, and four cities saw double digit increases in the first six months of 2011:  Austin, TX (221.4%), Nashville, TN (38.5%); Portland, OR (23.7%); Oceanside, CA (17.1%); Alexandria, VA/VRE (16.2%); and Salt Lake City, UT (11.9%).  Commuter rail systems showing nearly double digit increases were located in the following cities: Portland, ME (10.0%); Albuquerque, NM (9.5%); Stockton, CA (9.4%); Oakland, CA (9.2%); and Pompano Beach, FL (9.0%). 

 

Nationally, bus ridership rose slightly in the first six months of 2011 but ridership increased by 4.8 percent in communities with a population below 100,000 and by 4.0 percent in communities with populations ranging from 100,000 to 499,999.  Some of the highest bus ridership increases in large cities were reported in the following cities: Miami, FL (10.0%); Orlando, FL (9.8%); Saint Louis, MO (8.9%); Columbus, OH (8.9%); Baltimore, MD (7.5%); Washington, DC (7.1%); San Diego, CA (6.4%); San Antonio, TX (6.4%); and Hampton, VA (5.4%). 

 

Demand response (paratransit) increased in the first six months of 2011 by 3.6 percent.

To see the complete APTA ridership report go to:

http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Documents/Ridership/2011-q2-ridership-APTA.pdf

 

 

# # #

 

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA member systems.

 

 

Local transportation projects gain steam (figuratively)

 

Here is an excerpt about  PA and California.  He also writes about Virginia and Oklahoma. :

 

...SEPTA might have to be austere no longer. The proposed funding measures include adjusting vehicle and driver’s fees to inflation, uncapping a wholesale fuel tax, and dedicating 2 percent of the existing sales tax to transit. That package would send $200 million SEPTA’s way for capital projects by year one and up to $400 million by year five.

 

“Pennsylvania legislators have been very receptive to our infrastructure needs, for both road and transit,” said Comati. “In our ideal timeline, this bill would pass by November.”

 

The recent transportation-funding initiatives taken by Mayor Villaraigosa and the county of Los Angeles are even more encouraging. In November 2008, more than two-thirds of Los Angeles county residents approved Measure R, a new half-cent sales tax increase that would fund a 30-year series of massive transit expansions and highway improvements.

...

 

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/opinion/local-transportation-projects-gain-steam/11944/

How Congress shapes your commute

Posted by Brad Plumer at 09:18 AM ET, 10/19/2011

 

Even our daily sojourns to the office are affected by the twists and turns in the U.S. tax code. If you drive to work, your employer can cover up to $230 per month in parking costs tax-free. And in recent years, if you take mass transit, your employer has also been able to reimburse you, tax-free, for up to $230. This latter program was part of the 2009 stimulus bill, and one Businessweek survey found that, when companies do offer it, many workers really do shift to public transportation.

 

But, at the end of this year, the mass-transit benefit, authored by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is scheduled to expire (the benefit cap will drop back to $120 per month). Not surprisingly, many transit advocates are already cranking the siren. In an interview with CNBC, TransitCenter CEO Dan Neuberger warns that letting the tax break lapse will pinch workers’ wallets and push more commuters back into their cars. He wants the tax break re-upped. Fair enough. But this also might be a good time to rethink how the government subsidizes commuting in the first place.

 

Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/how-congress-shapes-your-commute/2011/10/19/gIQA7GHOxL_blog.html

Transit News

 

11/18/2011

Contact:

Lesa Rair

(202) 496-4804

[email protected]

 

Riding Public Transit Saves Individuals $9,797 Annually

  Individuals can save $816 this month alone by switching to public transit for their daily commute

 

Washington, D.C. – According to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) November  Transit Savings Report, individuals who switch from driving to riding public transportation can save, on average, $816 dollars this month, and $9,797 annually.  These savings are based on the cost of commuting by public transportation compared to the November 18, 2011 average national gas price ($3.38 per gallon- reported by AAA) and the national unreserved monthly parking rate. 

 

Currently gas prices are nearly fifty cents a gallon higher than this time last year, APTA notes riding public transit is a smart way to lower transportation costs. 

 

APTA releases this monthly Transit Savings Report to examine how an individual in a two-person household can save money by taking public transportation and living with one less car.

 

The national average for a monthly unreserved parking space in a downtown business district is $155.22, according to the 2011 Colliers International Parking Rate Study.  Over the course of a year, parking costs for a vehicle can amount to an average of $1,863.

 

The top 20 cities with the highest transit ridership are ranked in order of their transit savings based on the purchase of a monthly public transit pass and factoring in local gas prices for November 18, 2011 and the local monthly unreserved parking rate.*

 

 

 

 

  City                                              Monthly                          Annual

1  New York                                  $1,205                          $14,458

2  Boston                                      $1,114                          $13,364

3  San Francisco                            $1,088                          $13,059

4  Seattle                                      $992                            $11,901

5  Philadelphia                                $962                            $11,542

6  Chicago                                      $958                            $11,494

7  Honolulu                                      $943                            $11,311

8  Los Angeles                                $893                            $10,714

9  Minneapolis                                $860                              $10,324

10  San Diego                                  $864                              $10,373

11  Portland                                    $856                              $10,269

12  Denver                                      $853                              $10,230

13  Washington, D.C.                      $844                              $10,130

14  Baltimore                                    $825                                $9,899

15  Cleveland                  $809                                $9,705  

16  Miami                                          $786                                $9,436

17  Atlanta                                        $772                                $9,265

18  Dallas                                          $768                                $9,211

19  Pittsburgh                                  $767                                  $9,201

20  Las Vegas                                  $ 766                                $9,191

 

 

*Based on gasoline prices as reported by AAA on 11/18/11.

 

Methodology

 

APTA calculates the average cost of taking public transit by determining the average monthly transit pass of local public transit agencies across the country.  This information is based on the annual APTA fare collection survey and is weighted based on ridership (unlinked passenger trips).  The assumption is that a person making a switch to public transportation would likely purchase an unlimited pass on the local transit agency, typically available on a monthly basis.

 

APTA then compares the average monthly transit fare to the average cost of driving.  The cost of driving is calculated using the 2011 AAA average cost of driving formula.  AAA cost of driving formula is based on variable costs and fixed costs.  The variable costs include the cost of gas, maintenance and tires.  The fixed costs include insurance, license registration, depreciation and finance charges.  The comparison also uses the average mileage of a mid-size auto at 23.4 miles per gallon and the price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline as recorded by AAA on November 18, 2011 at $3.38 per gallon.  The analysis also assumes that a person will drive an average of 15,000 miles per year.  The savings assume a person in two-person household lives with one less car.

 

In determining the cost of parking, APTA uses the data from the 2011 Colliers International Parking Rate Study for monthly unreserved parking rates for the United States.

 

To calculate your individual savings with or without car ownership, go to www.publictransportation.org. 

 

                                                                                                        # # #

 

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne passenger services, and high-speed rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA member systems.

rail-like???  :mrgreen:

ny's first fully dedicated brt service lanes coming to the bronx:

 

 

Select Bus Service on Webster Ave. could feature first median bus lanes and stops in the city, speed up travel

Webster Ave. bus route is least reliable in Bronx

 

 

By Daniel Beekman / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Friday, May 25, 2012, 6:00 AM

 

 

 

The Bronx could become home to the first median bus lanes and bus stops in the city, transportation officials revealed at a public meeting this month.

 

The city plans to add Select Bus Service on Webster Ave. and one option for the project includes bus lanes with bus stops along the center of the road - somewhat like the trolley lines that crisscrossed New York many decades ago.

 

The express service could speed up bus travel on the clogged thoroughfare - and steal business from the livery cab drivers who ply the busy strip. The bus lanes that already exist elsewhere are located curbside or between lanes.

 

 

more:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/select-bus-service-webster-ave-feature-median-bus-lanes-stops-city-speed-travel-article-1.1084188

That's awesome.  For some reason I love riding buses in NYC.  And they've come so, so far in the last 5 years.

This is pretty radical. And I suspect others will copy it to respond to falling gas tax revenues and millennials' diverse transportation needs....

 

IL: Panel Recommends Mass Transit for Rebuilt Addams Tollway

RICHARD WRONSKI

SOURCE: CHICAGO TRIBUNE

 

May 25--The Illinois Tollway should include congestion-priced, "managed" lanes and mass-transit options such as express buses as part of its plan to rebuild the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, an advisory council recommended Thursday.

 

The group also urged the Illinois Department of Transportation to consider continuing those special lanes and transit options on the Kennedy Expressway all the way to downtown Chicago.

 

The recommendations were reached after nine months of study by an advisory panel of planning experts, transportation officials, state and local officials and business groups along the Interstate Highway 90 corridor from Chicago to Rockford.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10721596/il-panel-recommends-mass-transit-for-rebuilt-addams-tollway?cmpid=email_MASS120519002&utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS120519002

That's awesome.  For some reason I love riding buses in NYC.  And they've come so, so far in the last 5 years.

Aren't decdicated bus lanes supposed to already exist in Manhattan for Select Bus service, at least on 1st Ave (?), although along the curb (along with the regular non-Select buses), not in the middle of the street. That doesn't seem to prevent other vehicles from attempting to clog them up.

thats why they are looking at a more traditional brt strategy for the select brt service (that is, cle euclid ave style w/ the dedicated center lanes). the curb lane does not seem to be effective for moving brt busses along. and to that i say duh!

I've actually been impressed with the enforcement of the lanes the M34 uses and found the ride pretty fast.  It is actually kind of amazing to have a relatively easy transit ride from Penn Station to the East Side.  What totally freaks me out with the curbside lanes, though, is that they fill up with pedestrian overflow from crowded sidewalks, who, without fear from regular traffic, seem to forget about the buses.  Looking through the bus windshield I felt like I was watching some 1920s video of a Brooklyn streetcar just barely avoiding horrible pedestrian fatalities.

i've had much less luck with them on the avenues. cars! using the middle lane when possible will be a vast improvement.

October 26, 2012, 5:32 PM

In an Entrenched Car Culture, Painting a Bolder Face on Mass Transit

By AZADEH ENSHA

 

LOS ANGELES — “Make metro cool.” That was Michael Lejeune’s task 10 years ago when he was hired as the first creative director of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

 

The brief was difficult, given this city’s deeply rooted car culture, but Mr. Lejeune, a native of Los Angeles, said he relished the task of making over the image of the third-largest mass-transit system in the United States.

 

“Public transportation was in the blind spot in Los Angeles because we’re such a car-centric place,” Mr. Lejeune said in an interview on Thursday at the Hammer Museum of the University of California, Los Angeles,  before delivering a lecture titled “Michael Lejeune: A Cooler Ride.”

 

“Unless you had to take public transportation, the majority of people thought that’s not for me,” he said.

 

Read more at: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/26/in-an-entrenched-car-culture-painting-a-bolder-face-on-mass-transit/

October 26, 2012, 5:32 PM

In an Entrenched Car Culture, Painting a Bolder Face on Mass Transit

By AZADEH ENSHA

 

LOS ANGELES — “Make metro cool.” That was Michael Lejeune’s task 10 years ago when he was hired as the first creative director of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

 

The brief was difficult, given this city’s deeply rooted car culture, but Mr. Lejeune, a native of Los Angeles, said he relished the task of making over the image of the third-largest mass-transit system in the United States.

 

“Public transportation was in the blind spot in Los Angeles because we’re such a car-centric place,” Mr. Lejeune said in an interview on Thursday at the Hammer Museum of the University of California, Los Angeles,  before delivering a lecture titled “Michael Lejeune: A Cooler Ride.”

 

“Unless you had to take public transportation, the majority of people thought that’s not for me,” he said.

 

Read more at: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/26/in-an-entrenched-car-culture-painting-a-bolder-face-on-mass-transit/

 

awesome thanks for posting this.

How cost-effective are new rail transit projects?

ALAN DAVIES | NOV 07, 2012 9:01AM

Many newer rail-based transit projects aren’t cost-effective. Too often it’s assumed one transit project is as good as any other. More effort needs to go into building the right projects in the right places.

 

Erick Guerra and Robert Cervero from UC Berkeley have published a new paper, Transit and the “D” word, examining the relationship between urban density and the cost of constructing and operating rail-based transit.

 

They looked at 54 light rail and heavy rail projects constructed in 20 US cities between 1970 and 2006. The paper is a summary of a larger one published here (the latter one’s gated though).

 

Transit projects with low capital costs look attractive but some also have low ridership. Some that cost a lot have correspondingly high patronage. For example:

 

READ MORE AT:

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2012/11/07/how-cost-effective-are-new-rail-transit-projects/

12/11/2012 9:30:00 AM   

 

APTA: Transit ridership rose 2.6 percent in 2012's first nine months

 

Transit ridership increased 2.6 percent during the first three quarters of 2012 compared with the same 2011 period, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced yesterday. More than 7.9 billion trips were taken on U.S. public transportation systems during the year's first nine months.

 

In addition, a third-quarter gain marked the seventh consecutive quarter of ridership increases, APTA officials said in a prepared statement.

 

Nationally, heavy rail ridership grew by 3.6 percent, and 12 out of 15 subway and elevated train systems posted gains during the first nine months. Heavy rail systems with the highest ridership increases during the period were located in Cleveland (10.8 percent), San Francisco (7.4 percent), Chicago (4.9 percent), Baltimore (4.4 percent) and New York City (4.4 percent).

 

Read more at:  http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=33624

Transit News

http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2014/Pages/140108_Ridership.aspx

1/8/2014

Contact:

Virginia Miller

202-496-4816

[email protected]

 

Nearly 2.7 Billion Trips Taken on Public Transportation in 2013 Third Quarter In Large, Medium, and Small Communities Nationwide

 

 

Nearly 2.7 billion trips were taken on U.S. public transportation in the third quarter of 2013, according to a report released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).  This is a 1.5 percent increase over the same quarter last year, representing an increase of more than 39 million trips. Ridership in all public transportation modes increased, led by light rail which increased by 3.1 percent.

 

Noting that in 9 of the last 11 quarters, ridership on U.S. public transportation has increased, APTA President and CEO Michael Melaniphy said, “Public transportation ridership continued to grow across the country in large, medium, and small communities during the third quarter of 2013. This continued demand for public transportation demonstrates the value of public transit to individuals and the communities they live in, no matter their size.”

 

“Some of the public transit systems with the largest ridership increases saw ridership spike as new lines and extensions were added to the existing system,” said Melaniphy.  “This shows that if you expand public transportation options with new services, additional people will decide to use public transportation.”

 

Utah Transit Authority (Salt Lake City, UT) saw a 13.4 percent increase in light rail ridership as extensions opened in April and August this year.  Regional Transportation District (Denver, CO) saw a 25.3 percent increase in light rail ridership as a new line opened last spring.  Light rail ridership on the Regional Transit Authority (New Orleans, LA) saw a 71.2 percent increase due to a new line that opened in January.  Miami-Dade Transit (Miami, FL) recorded an 11.1 percent increase in heavy rail ridership which was due primarily to increased service frequency, especially during peak service.  South Florida Regional Transportation Authority’s commuter rail, Tri-Rail (Pompano Beach, FL), saw a 9.7 percent ridership increase due in large part to increased weekend service.

 

Ridership increases were also due to factors such as high, volatile gas prices and recovering local economies.

 

“When gas prices are high and volatile, more people decide to try public transportation to save money,” said Melaniphy.  “Additionally, nearly 60 percent of the trips taken on public transportation in the United States are for work commutes. When a local economy rebounds with new jobs, public transportation ridership increases in that community.”

 

2013 Third Quarter Ridership Breakdown

Nationally, heavy rail ridership increased by 2.4 percent.  Eight out of fifteen heavy rail systems (subways and elevated trains) experienced ridership increases in the third quarter of 2013 over the same period in 2012.  Heavy rail systems showing the highest percentage of increases were located in the following cities: Miami, FL (11.1%); Los Angeles, CA (7.5%); Cleveland, OH (5.7%); and New York, NY (3.3%).

 

Fourteen out of twenty-eight light rail systems reported an increase in ridership for the third quarter of 2013.  Overall, light rail increased by 3.1 percent in the third quarter of 2013.  Light rail systems in the following cities saw double digit increases in the third quarter:  New Orleans, LA (71.2%); Denver, CO (25.3%); Salt Lake City, UT (13.4%); and Pittsburgh, PA (10.2%)  Other light rail systems showing significant percentage of increases were located in the following cities:  Seattle, WA – Sound Transit (8.9%); Tampa, FL (8.1%); Saint Louis, MO (5.7%); Cleveland, OH (4.6%); and Newark, NJ (3.2%).

 

Twenty-two out of twenty-eight commuter rail systems reported ridership increases and overall commuter rail increased by 1.9 percent.  Utah Transit Authority (Salt Lake City, UT)) saw triple digit increases in the third quarter due to a new line opening in December 2012.  In the third quarter of 2013, the public transportation systems in the following eight cities saw double digit increases: Austin, TX (53.0%); Anchorage, AK (35.1%); Stockton, CA (26.7%); Lewisville, TX (22.7%); Portland, OR (15.4%); Minneapolis, MN (15.2%); Oceanside, CA (10.4%); and San Carlos, CA (10.3%).  The following cities also experienced an increase in the third quarter of 2013: Pompano Beach, FL (9.7%); Baltimore, MD (6.5%); New Haven, CT (5.4%); Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (4.6%); and Chicago, IL (2.6%).

 

Bus ridership increased nationally by 0.7 percent.  Large transit bus systems in the following cities showed increases in the third quarter:  Columbus, OH (7.4%); Houston, TX (7.4%); Arlington Heights, IL (5.5%); Providence, RI (4.5%); Cleveland, OH (4.4%); Saint Louis, MO (3.7%); Washington, DC (3.5%); and Los Angeles, CA (2.3%).

 

Demand response (paratransit) increased in the third quarter of 2013 by 2.2 percent.  Trolleybus ridership increased by 2.6 percent.

 

To see the complete APTA ridership report go to: http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Documents/Ridership/2013-q3-ridership-APTA.pdf

 

 

#  #  #

 

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private sector organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products.  More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada ride APTA member systems.

Greater Cleveland RTA among leading gainers in U.S. for heavy and light rail use

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Use of public transit is up nationally, with Greater Cleveland among the leading gainers in heavy and light rail ridership, according to findings of a national advocacy group for public transportation.

 

Ridership on RTA's rail Red Line was up 5.7 percent in the 2013 third quarter compared with a year earlier. The July-September period is the most recent for which the American Public Transportation Association has complete counts.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/01/greater_cleveland_rta_among_le.html#incart_river_default

Wasn't sure where to put this, but it makes an interesting point...

 

The Key to Surviving the Great American Streetcar Closures? Dedicated Space

Modern mixed-traffic streetcars might not be any faster than a bus, but, their boosters say, rails are more permanent than buses. Bus lines can be easily rerouted or cut altogether, possibly leaving developers unsure of their would-be transit lifeline’s future. Abandoning tracks, catenary and trains, on the other hand, is a much more significant step, and perhaps one that cities wouldn’t take as lightly as cutting bus routes.

More People Rode Public Transit Last Year Than Any Time In The Last 60 Years

Is this the next step for a future of car-less cities?

 

We’ve recently covered the news that more people are foregoing car ownership than ever before, so it would make sense that public transit is becoming more and more popular at the same time. Now there’s data to prove it.

 

The American Public Transportation Association’s latest figures, released today, show that more Americans used public transit in 2013 than at any time in nearly 60 years. That amounts to a whopping 10.65 billion passenger trips, beating the previous record in 1956 and a more recent peak in 2008, when gas cost more than $4 a gallon and 10.59 million trips were taken.

 

This time around high gas prices aren’t the main reason, and the trend is more about a basic shift in attitudes about how people travel in their cities, as well as a generally strong urban economy. Michael Melaniphy, president of the advocacy group, told the New York Times:

 

....Cities should be paying attention, especially as many aim to attract young people to live and work in their borders. Young people traveling more often at “off-peak” times accounted for some of the increases seen over the last year, the New York Times reported. Public transit agencies reporting the biggest ridership increases included those in smaller cities, such as Ann Arbor, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Riverside, California.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.fastcoexist.com/3027455/more-people-rode-public-transit-last-year-than-anytime-in-the-last-60-years

Bus ridership up across Ohio, mirroring national trend; Cincinnati sees largest increase

By AMANDA LEE MYERS  Associated Press

March 10, 2014 - 5:22 pm EDT

 

 

CINCINNATI — Bus ridership in Ohio's four largest cities increased last year, with Cincinnati leading the way, mirroring national statistics that show people are using public transportation more than any time since the 1950s.

 

New ridership data released Monday by the American Public Transportation Association shows that nationwide, Americans took nearly 10.7 billion trips on public buses, trains and subways in 2013.

 

In Cincinnati, bus ridership jumped by 3.5 percent last year, to more than 16.9 million rides. That increase is more than triple the 1 percent nationwide increase in overall ridership on public transportation, which includes subways and light rails.

 

Cleveland also eclipsed the national increase, experiencing a 1.5 percent jump in bus rides last year to more than 39.6 million. Cleveland's light rail line also saw a 1.5 percent increase in rides, to 2.9 million in 2013.

 

Read more at:  http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/346ef6cf0a41419d853cc2c4b40dfdce/OH--Public-Transit-Trips-Ohio

I'm confused - http://m.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/03/10/metro-bus-ridership-down-amidst-nationwide-surge.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_cincinnati+%28Business+Courier+of+Cincinnati%29&r=full

 

Have U.S. Light Rail Systems Been Worth the Investment?

Yonah Freemark

 

Five U.S. metros (Buffalo, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Jose) opened light rail systems in the 1980s to great fanfare. The mode offered many of the benefits of subway systems for far less public money; San Diego's system, per mile, cost about one-seventh of Washington, D.C.'s Metrorail. Light rail cities like Portland became transportation models for the country, pointing toward a transit-friendly urban future.

 

Thirty years later, light rail remains the most appealing mode of new public transportation for many American cities. Billions of local, state, and federal dollars have been invested in 650 miles of new light rail lines in 16 regions, and today 144 miles of additional lines are under construction at a cost of more than $25 billion. Many more lines are planned. No region has invested in a new heavy rail subway system, on the other hand, since 1993.

 

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2014/04/have-us-light-rail-systems-been-worth-investment/8838/

 

Have U.S. Light Rail Systems Been Worth the Investment?

Yonah Freemark

 

Five U.S. metros (Buffalo, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Jose) opened light rail systems in the 1980s to great fanfare. The mode offered many of the benefits of subway systems for far less public money; San Diego's system, per mile, cost about one-seventh of Washington, D.C.'s Metrorail. Light rail cities like Portland became transportation models for the country, pointing toward a transit-friendly urban future.

 

Thirty years later, light rail remains the most appealing mode of new public transportation for many American cities. Billions of local, state, and federal dollars have been invested in 650 miles of new light rail lines in 16 regions, and today 144 miles of additional lines are under construction at a cost of more than $25 billion. Many more lines are planned. No region has invested in a new heavy rail subway system, on the other hand, since 1993.

 

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2014/04/have-us-light-rail-systems-been-worth-investment/8838/

 

This article is a bit deceptive in terms of new heavy rail construction. DC Metrorail is currently expanding 20 miles westward to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County, VA to the tune of about $6 billion. While the new line is not for the most part a subway it is certainly an extension of the existing system and not light rail. So there has been new construction of heavy rail since 1993.

Here's a presentation by All Aboard Ohio for the League of Women Voters in Lorain County. So this has a decidedly Ohio (& NE Ohio) slant to it. But the message may be of interest to all -- if your city/county is investing in transit & transit-oriented development, then it's preparing for next 50 yrs. If it's not, well....

 

http://freepdfhosting.com/cdd4649f39.pdf

 

Have U.S. Light Rail Systems Been Worth the Investment?

Yonah Freemark

 

Five U.S. metros (Buffalo, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Jose) opened light rail systems in the 1980s to great fanfare. The mode offered many of the benefits of subway systems for far less public money; San Diego's system, per mile, cost about one-seventh of Washington, D.C.'s Metrorail. Light rail cities like Portland became transportation models for the country, pointing toward a transit-friendly urban future.

 

Thirty years later, light rail remains the most appealing mode of new public transportation for many American cities. Billions of local, state, and federal dollars have been invested in 650 miles of new light rail lines in 16 regions, and today 144 miles of additional lines are under construction at a cost of more than $25 billion. Many more lines are planned. No region has invested in a new heavy rail subway system, on the other hand, since 1993.

 

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2014/04/have-us-light-rail-systems-been-worth-investment/8838/

 

This 'study' is an ongoing information-skewing campaign of the Atlantic, which has been reliably pro-BRT, anti-rail (esp. light rail) in recent years….I still read the Atlantic, but liked a lot better before it came under the control of more conservative interests.

 

:wtf:

Beginning in In Jan. 2015, Missoula Montana's Mountain Line, will begin  zero-fare system. Do a search to find lots of info. The plan says it will save a lot of money by not having to buy fare boxes, and the related equipment needed to count money and print fare cards, transfers, and passes. Sponsors have been signed up to pay for the 3 yr. experiment. Comments please. Also, all doors are used. Driver-passenger conflicts reduced or eliminated.

:wtf:

Beginning in In Jan. 2015, Missoula Montana's Mountain Line, will begin  zero-fare system. Do a search to find lots of info. The plan says it will save a lot of money by not having to buy fare boxes, and the related equipment needed to count money and print fare cards, transfers, and passes. Sponsors have been signed up to pay for the 3 yr. experiment. Comments please. Also, all doors are used. Driver-passenger conflicts reduced or eliminated.

 

I like it. A law school once used free or at least heavily discounted tuition when it first opened. Once it got on the radar it gradually raised pricing to reflect demand. I feel like in many instances, transit has to first become a part of a persons mental geography in order to flourish.

I seem to recall there are other transit agencies that do this -- perhaps one in Colorado and another in New York state.

There's a full list of transit systems and some opinions on zero-fare systems here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_public_transport

Originally Published: November 16, 2014 8:00 AM  Modified: November 16, 2014 9:57 AM

Bus rapid transit study draws concerns over downtown stops, off-Woodward loop

By Bill Shea

 

Red flags are being raised by transit insiders over aspects of a new study that outlines a proposed rapid transit bus service that would stretch the entire 27 miles of Woodward Avenue from downtown Detroit to Pontiac.

 

Specifically, the concerns are focused on the report's recommendation of just two downtown Detroit stops — the Rosa Parks Transit Center and Grand Circus Park — and the decision to split the line into a loop off of Woodward south of Grand Boulevard using Cass Avenue and John R Street.

 

"Those stops are not that close to where the major employment centers are," said Scott Anderson, a longtime transit researcher who spent more than 25 years in the University of Detroit Mercy's College of Engineering and Science. "I don't imagine that's going to be a pleasant walking option for a lot of people."

 

MORE:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20141116/NEWS/311169950/bus-rapid-transit-study-draws-concerns-over-downtown-stops-off

Chicagos Central Loop poised to be a Major Milestone for BRT in the US.

 

https://www.itdp.org/chicagos-central-loop-poised-major-milestone-brt-us/

 

Public transit is no longer just for humans:

 

Seattle dog's rush hour ride: on the bus, by herself, weekly

 

SEATTLE -- Public transit in Seattle has gone to the dogs.

 

Commuters in Belltown report seeing a Black Labrador riding the bus alone in recent weeks. The 2-year old has been spotted roaming the aisles, hopping onto seats next to strangers, and even doing her part to clean the bus -- by licking her surroundings.

 

"All the bus drivers know her. She sits here just like a person does," said commuter Tiona Rainwater, as she rode the bus through downtown Monday. "She makes everybody happy. How could you not love this thing?"

 

When the dog got off the bus - without an owner - at a dog park last week, it piqued the curiosity of local radio host Miles Montgomery of KISW-FM.

 

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Seattle-dogs-rush-hour-ride-on-the-bus-by-herself-weekly-288345081.html?tab=video&c=y

Sound Transit Receives $1.3 billion U.S. Dept. of Transportation Loan

SOURCE: SOUND TRANSIT JAN 19, 2015

 

Sound Transit on Jan. 16 executed a $1.3 billion federal loan under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA). This represents the largest single TIFIA loan to a transit agency in the country and the second largest TIFIA loan overall, and at the lowest rate – 2.38 percent – in the 25-year history of the program.

 

The low-interest loan, which offers more favorable terms than traditional bonds, will increase Sound Transit’s financial capacity by an estimated $200 - $300 million. Over the coming years the capacity will enable the Sound Transit Board of Directors to potentially restore some voter-approved Sound Transit 2 projects that were suspended as a result of the recession and will help reduce risks of scope reductions or delays.

 

...The Sound Transit Board of Directors will review unfunded portions of the ST2 program, costs increases and savings on active capital projects, contributions toward maintaining agency assets in a state of good repair, operational needs and service levels, capacity for future system expansion, and other financial commitments. Some of the projects suspended during the recession that the Board could consider moving forward include:

 

+ ST Express bus service hours – 50,000 of 100,000 ST2 service hours still to be implemented

+ Light rail between Kent/Des Moines and South 272nd Street in Federal Way

+ Preliminary light rail engineering and right-of-way acquisition from South 272nd Street in Federal Way to the Tacoma Dome

+ Improvements for accessing Kent Station

+ Improvements for accessing Auburn Station

+ Sounder platform extensions

+ Preliminary light rail engineering between Redmond’s Overlake and downtown areas

+ A permanent multi-modal station at Edmonds

+ Renton HOV improvements

 

MORE:

http://www.masstransitmag.com/press_release/12035997/sound-transit-receives-13-billion-us-dept-of-transportation-loan

BTW, in case you hadn't heard, downtown Toronto's population grew 300,000 since 2000. Yep, just downtown....

 

Toronto Mayor Tory, Chair Colle Announce Major Investment in Transit to Cut Congestion

SOURCE: TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION (TTC) JAN 19, 2015

 

Toronto Mayor John Tory and TTC Chair Josh Colle on Jan. 19 announced a $95 million investment that will significantly expand and enhance transit service, reduce wait times and crowding, and make using the TTC more affordable for families by eliminating fares for children 12 years and under.

 

"We need to get Toronto moving and investing in transit is an essential part of that," said Tory. "The package we are announcing will not only make a difference in commute times and crowding on the transit system, it also provides financial relief for Toronto families."

 

TTC staff has been working hard over the last several weeks to present options for a budget that includes new buses, storage and the reinstatement of service. To help balance the TTC budget, Tory asked the city to increase the TTC's subsidy to nearly $479 million, an increase of more than $38 million from 2014. Effective March 1, as well, a 10-cent proportionate fare increase will apply to all TTC fares except for cash fares, investing an additional $43 million in revenue to pay for new services that will meet an increasing ridership, estimated to be 545 million in 2015.

 

These new investments will provide the following enhanced services to Toronto commuters:

 

+ Restoration of all day, everyday bus service that was cut in 2011

+ Ten-minute or better bus and streetcar service on key routes from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. six days a week (9 a.m. on Sundays)

+ Reduced wait times and crowding at off-peak times

+ Reduced wait times and crowding on 21 of the busiest routes during morning and afternoon rush hours

+ Proof-of-payment and all-door boarding on all streetcar routes

+ Expansion of the Express Bus network, adding four new routes to a network that serves 34 million rides annually

+ Expanding the Blue Night Network, adding 12 routes to the 22-route network that serves 4 million rides annually

+ Adding up to two additional subway trains on Lines 1 and 2 during morning and afternoon rush hours

+ Route management improvements designed to reduce short-turns, bunching and gapping of bus and streetcar routes

+ Additional resources to focus on subway reliability around signals, track and communications systems

 

MORE:

http://www.masstransitmag.com/press_release/12036087/toronto-mayor-tory-chair-colle-announce-major-investment-in-transit-to-cut-congestion