Re: RTA phone service

 

The RTAnswerline is 216-621-9500. It includes many prompts, including an option for Spanish. Listen to the prompts to make the proper selections. One of the options is to select Customer Service line.

 

It may be easier, from 7am-6pm M-F, to call directly to 216-566-5227. The phone line is manned only during those hours, and does not accept voice mail.

 

You can always fill out the online feedback form at:

http://tripplanner.gcrta.org/hiwire?.a=cCustomerComplaint

 

I've reported here and via the online form that the answer line is sketchy at best and that I have never received a response to a message left on the website.  I feel your pain JeffreyT!

Kind of a random question, but are you allowed to wear rollerblades on the buses and trains??

Why would you want to!?!? 

To avoid having to take them off at the bus stop and then having to put them back on once i got off. Its not very difficult to do but if i could just keep them on itd be a little bit easier.

Here's another one of the "riders flock to transit" articles, but a good one. Also check out the graphics at the CS site.....

________________

 

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0604/p01s09-usgn.html

 

Mass transit demand rises, costs soar

Fuel prices and smaller government subsidies are squeezing transit budgets.

By Alexandra Marks | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the June 4, 2008 edition

 

NEW YORK - In Seattle, transportation officials plan to add to their daily schedule another three round-trip trains to nearby Tacoma.

 

In Washington, D.C., commuters on the Metro will soon see many trains expand from six cars to eight.

 

In New York City, the transportation agency is spending millions of dollars to modernize the subway system's antiquated signaling system, so significantly more trains can travel through its underground tunnels at one time.

 

Across the US, public-transit officials are scrambling to accommodate a record number of people who are leaving their cars at home and hopping the bus or the train to work.

 

.....

this might be a pissy personal rant, but i think it applies and needs addressing

 

RTA & Amtrak

 

so i bought a ticket to go to new york city for a weekend.  im trying out the new service that leaves at 6:20am from cleveland.

 

now.... to get there im thinkin im going to take the RTA.  right?  because thats a decent hour during the week to catch a train??  right??  except upon asking the woman at the ticketing desk she told me that the RTA's first train is at 6:05 at the Amtrak station stop... which apparently would be cutting it close since Amtrak leaves at 6:22am

 

now wouldnt it make sense for RTA to adjust their time by ya know 15-30 minutes or so for the FIRST waterfront line train to make it perhaps a viable choice in using to access an amtrak train??  maybe people (like myself) would actually use this under-utilized segment of the rapid and on top of that a stop that since its used *never* is labeled as "stop upon request".

 

at the risk of sounding like a crotchety old man, its completely infuriating to see how my tax dollars are being wasted because of a 15-30 minute scheduling issue.  and yes, im letting RTA know, but i also know RTA looks at this thread too.

The Waterfront Line-Amtrak connection worked until April when Amtrak rescheduled its eastbound "Lake Shore Limited" Train #48 to depart Cleveland 40 minutes earlier. It used to depart Cleveland at 7 a.m.

 

How were you planning to get back? The westbound "Lake Shore Limited" Train #49 comes through Cleveland at 3:45 a.m. Would you be waiting around at the Amtrak station until about 6:15 a.m. to flag down the first WFL train?

 

BTW, RTA still shows on its Route 67 timetable map that it stops on request at the Amtrak station....

http://www.riderta.com/pdf/20080615/67X-AX.pdf

worlds dumbest question: can you get an all day pass on the bus? I have always picked them up at the rapid stations.

Yes. You can buy one from the fare machine on the bus (unless they didn't stock it adequately with day passes!).

It's a shame about Amtrak and the WFL.  Back around 1999 or 2000, Amtrak scheduled a daytime train through Cleveland to Chicago -- I believe it departed Cleveland around rush hour because when I was working over in the Erieview area, I actually saw a WFL train stop and drop off a number of people at Amtrak.  It was hard to believe but, for a hot moment, Cleveland had 4 trains btw here and Chicago every weekday... Alas, Bush began his Amtrak onslaught and we have what we have today -- next to nothing... We can't even ride a direct train to Philly...  One more reason to despise Bush and count the days until he vacates the White House.

 

Since that brief Amtrak spurt, the Rapid -- Amtrak interface was actually viable... Now?...

We had six trains to/from Chicago from 1998-2003. Few people knew about the day train you saw because Amtrak never marketed it here. I wrote an article about how Amtrak and the Conrail split screwed it up. But that's a discussion for the Amtrak thread.

^Wow, 6!?  I didn't know it was that many... That's as it should be.  I know noozer's noted Cleveland's long been 'flyover country' for intercity rail sitting somewhere towards the middle between NYC and Chicago.  But like St. Louis, Detroit and Milwaukee, Amtrak (and the State of Ohio) should recognize Greater Cleveland's strength as a Chicago satelite -- but that's more Amtrak/Ohio Hub thread stuff.

 

Suffice it to say: RTA has Amtrak covered in terms of a rail connection, if needed.  I agree with zaceman, though, since Amtrak has shifted its departure time, it'd be nice if RTA would shift too to make a better connection with this train.

Kind of a random question, but are you allowed to wear rollerblades on the buses and trains??

 

I have never seen this addressed before, so I will present an educated guess. The bus or rail operator has the responsibility to keep the ride safe for everyone. If you got on, could not keep your balance, bothered other riders, etc., I would ask you to remove them. If you got on and were so coordinated about it that no one even realized you were wearing them...well, that speaks for itself. I am not setting policy here, just presenting an educated guess.

The Waterfront Line-Amtrak connection worked until April when Amtrak rescheduled its eastbound "Lake Shore Limited" Train #48 to depart Cleveland 40 minutes earlier. It used to depart Cleveland at 7 a.m.

 

How were you planning to get back? The westbound "Lake Shore Limited" Train #49 comes through Cleveland at 3:45 a.m. Would you be waiting around at the Amtrak station until about 6:15 a.m. to flag down the first WFL train?

 

BTW, RTA still shows on its Route 67 timetable map that it stops on request at the Amtrak station....

http://www.riderta.com/pdf/20080615/67X-AX.pdf

 

 

ohhh that makes sense now.  i thought 6:22am sounded early... well i dunno, i still think RTA should tweak it by 15 minutes.  its just the WFL and also its the first train out, i wouldnt think that would be hard to do. 

 

and no im not taking amtrak back, im taking greyhound back so ill be back in cleveland at 10pm. 

 

this still relates back to my experience in europe where a small german town of 10,000 residents has better rail service than cleveland.  it blows my mind.  i really hope things chnage.

From the Cincy streetcar thread.....

 

Last Updated: 5:27 pm | Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Cities testify: Streetcars work

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080610/NEWS01/306100123

 

.....The panelists struggled to explain why streetcars attract more riders than buses. Johnsen cited a Tacoma, Wash. bus line that carried 175,000 people a year was replaced by a streetcar, and ridership jumped to 800,000 a year.

 

“It’s the magic of an urban experience that goes beyond a diesel-burning bus,” Villines said.

Specifically to Dover Center Rd?

 

I used the RTA website but couldn't figure out where, if any, was the closest area.

 

I also called RTA but couldn't get through to a live person.

 

Any thoughts?

55F is your best bet: http://www.riderta.com/pdf/55F.pdf

dude there are google transit maps and the RTA system map.

http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&dirflg=r&ll=41.432218,-81.726661&spn=0.408779,0.670180

 

and RTA trip planner

http://tripplanner.gcrta.org/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning&.s=2592d678

thanks

Kind of a random question, but are you allowed to wear rollerblades on the buses and trains??

 

I have never seen this addressed before, so I will present an educated guess. The bus or rail operator has the responsibility to keep the ride safe for everyone. If you got on, could not keep your balance, bothered other riders, etc., I would ask you to remove them. If you got on and were so coordinated about it that no one even realized you were wearing them...well, that speaks for itself. I am not setting policy here, just presenting an educated guess.

 

Thanks for the insight on this, ive been rollerblading and ice skating for 19 out of my 22 years but trying to keep balance on a moving bus might be a little tricky but still manageable. Id hate to try to get on only to be told i have to take them off and then either hold up the bus for a minute or two while i took them off or missed it altogether.

boy, wouldnt it be nice to have those streetcars back?

Here are some interesting transit updates from the General Manager's report at today's meeting of the Citizens Advisory Board:

 

CORRIDOR -- RTA is on schedule to have all paving on Lower Euclid Avenue done by July 4, and the project done in time for the Oct. 25 grand opening. Some international visitors will be here in July to view the project.

 

FUEL COSTS -- RTA is locking in a price of $4.15 a gallon for the next 90 days. Last year's price was $2.15 a gallon.

* Total fuel cost in 2007 was $12 million. This year, it is projected to be $21 million.

* Some transit systems are considering indexing passenger fares, so they reflect the fuel costs on the day you use transit.

* Some airlines are not even posting fares on their Web sites, if you try to buy tickets too far in advance.

* CNG costs are up 50 percent over last year. Before RTA makes it next major bus purchase in late 2009, it will compare the cost of CNG vs diesel.

* Statewide, funding for transit does not even equal the combined increase cost of fuel transit systems are paying this year.

 

RIDERSHIP -- The Westlake Park-n-Ride, which is now being expanded, was 52 cars over capacity earlier this week.

* Paratransit ridership is up 52 percent over the last four years.

 

JUNE 17 ODOT MEETING:

* 4-5 p.m., Presentations by NOACA, RTA and Port Authority.

* 5-6 p.m., Time to talk in small groups at various tables that will be set up.

* 6-8 p.m,. Public comment

 

PROPOSED FEDERAL RULE: A recently proposed federal rule would restrict how a transit system's ability to serve students. RTA is looking into the details of this proposal, and will work with local education officials to lobby against it.

 

Mr. Masek, any thoughts on when/how much fares will go up?

* Total fuel cost in 2007 was $12 million. This year, it is projected to be $21 million.

 

Again I wonder if RTA regrets going with diesel hybrid instead of electric for the ECP, even with the much higher capital costs.  I don't question the original decision though- conditions were obviously much different during the planning phase. 

 

 

RTA says the state of Ohio provides $17 million dollars to be shared among all transit systems. Compare that to Illinois which spends $600 to $700 million on public transportation.

 

© 2008 WKYC-TV

 

Wow!! If only Ohio could spend a quarter of that on public transportation

I wonder what it would to take to electrify all of RTA's 10-busiest bus routes with overhead wires? It need not be horribly elaborate. After all MVRTA in Dayton has electric bus service on several routes without separate catenary poles for the transit wires....

 

 

And what would it take to power those 10 busiest routes with wind, solar or the fuel pellets Cleveland Public Power seeks to produce from waste picked up from the curbs in front of people's houses?

^Interesting.  I bet the Dayton transit agency is very happy it has so many electrified routes these day.

 

I have a real weakness for electric buses and would love to see them start popping up in more cities, including Cleveland.  Other than Boston, Dayton, SF and Seattle, are there any other systems that still run them?

 

* Statewide, funding for transit does not even equal the combined increase cost of fuel transit systems are paying this year.

 

Wow. 

 

Mr. Masek, any thoughts on when/how much fares will go up?

The solution lies in more funding from state and federal governments, and that is why the June 17 ODOT meeting is so important. In my opinion, there is no way fares could be raised enough to make up the increase created by gas costs. That would make transit too expensive, especially for those who need it most.

From 3:30-9 p.m. on June 17, the E-Line trolley route will be extended to serve the ODOT meeting site at 3100 Chester Ave.

^Rock on!

The Westlake Park-n-Ride, which is now being expanded, was 52 cars over capacity earlier this week.

Not surprising, but does that count the riders parking at the hotel?  People have been doing that even when the lot is not full...

When will the expansion be complete?

* Total fuel cost in 2007 was $12 million. This year, it is projected to be $21 million.

 

Again I wonder if RTA regrets going with diesel hybrid instead of electric for the ECP, even with the much higher capital costs.  I don't question the original decision though- conditions were obviously much different during the planning phase. 

 

Boston at least had the good sense to order dual power vehicles for its BRT project, the Silver Line.  It's diesel along streets and electric underground... Of course, I seriously doubt you'll ever see RTA build any kind of subway line, bus or rail so dual power would be useless here.

Rides get crowded as more hop aboard

RTA customer faults reduced bus service

 

Friday, June 13, 2008

Sarah Hollander

Plain Dealer Reporter

High gas prices are driving more people to public transportation. For some suburban bus riders, that increased demand has created a tight squeeze.

 

While mass transit passengers in larger cities are used to wedging themselves onto buses, it's a new experience for many Northeast Ohioans. Commuters increasingly are looking for cheaper transportation alternatives this summer as the price of gas climbs to $4 a gallon and beyond.

 

..........

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

 

[email protected], 216-999-4816

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/121334594585950.xml&coll=2

...the days of empty seats on some routes might be over.

 

you'll forgive me if I don't shed a tear over this revelation...

 

sorry, but from the first day I realized that my taxes were supporting any public transit system (which occurred long before I started working here), while I might have gotten mildly annoyed at the fact of being forced to stand for the duration of my ride, I'd get more annoyed seeing empty buses travel the streets during "prime time", knowing that it takes the same amount of money to operate the bus, empty or full...

"Showing his chivalry Thursday, Calmer allowed the women waiting at a stop off Public Square to board first before taking his position in the aisle."

 

Good for him - one of my biggest pet peeves is when a guy doesn't offer his seat to a lady. It isn't chivalry, it's good manners.

I stand near the back door so I don't wrinkle anything before I get to work!  :lol:  Plus if I have a bag or two or an umbrella it's a pain in the derriere!  Not to mention I live 5 min. away in OC.

"Showing his chivalry Thursday, Calmer allowed the women waiting at a stop off Public Square to board first before taking his position in the aisle."

 

Good for him - one of my biggest pet peeves is when a guy doesn't offer his seat to a lady. It isn't chivalry, it's good manners.

 

I'd like to say that it's common sense, but then I realize that's it's unfortunately not that common, and the average person is far less sensible than I remember growing up...

"Showing his chivalry Thursday, Calmer allowed the women waiting at a stop off Public Square to board first before taking his position in the aisle."

 

Good for him - one of my biggest pet peeves is when a guy doesn't offer his seat to a lady. It isn't chivalry, it's good manners.

 

I'd like to say that it's common sense, but then I realize that's it's unfortunately not that common, and the average person is far less sensible than I remember growing up...

 

Common sense?  No.  It's called "home training" folks!

^ Actually, I disagree that every woman should get a seat over a man.  The elderly and handicapped deserve a seat 100%, but why a young able bodied woman??  When you routinely watch young self obsessed girls sit there while an elderly woman or man is struggling to stand, you start to change your tune.  And any woman that wants to be treated equal should not think they are entitled to a seat just because they have T**ts.

"Showing his chivalry Thursday, Calmer allowed the women waiting at a stop off Public Square to board first before taking his position in the aisle."

 

Good for him - one of my biggest pet peeves is when a guy doesn't offer his seat to a lady. It isn't chivalry, it's good manners.

 

I think we've covered this ground before, but I respectfully disagree.  I offer my seat up to the pregnant ladies and to the elderly, infirm and overburdened of either gender, but the healthy young ladies are as able to stand on a crowded train as I am.

^ Actually, I disagree that every woman should get a seat over a man.  The elderly and handicapped deserve a seat 100%, but why a young able bodied woman??  When you routinely watch young self obsessed girls sit there while an elderly woman or man is struggling to stand, you start to change your tune.  And any woman that wants to be treated equal should not think they are entitled to a seat just because they have T**ts.

 

That's just LOVELY, your mother sure raised a prince.  And when you have to start wearing really uncomfortable clothing for your job such as the choking, smothering feel of pantyhose, not to mention skirts in the rain and snow, let me know.

As to the PD's article, this is precisely why I started driving to a park and ride and riding the train instead of the bus.  I got tired of standing every day.  When you are weighted down with extra shoes to change into, purse, lunch, walking clothes (when weather is nice), makeup (to fix face after lunch), hairspray (to fix hair), umbrella, magazine or book (in hopes you get a seat and can read), bottled water etc in your bag, you get tired of laying it on the dirty, wet bus floor or wearing it and straining your shoulder muscles because there is nowhere to sit.  Unfortunately, the train is increasingly becoming a place there is nowhere to sit as well due to overcrowding, particularly leaving Tower City. 

 

I am surprised the article didn't get the message from RTA that they are trying to convey with these route cuts - we don't care if you're uncomfortable, it's cheaper for us to run trains than buses, so drive to a train stop, take the bus and shut your hole or go back to driving or carpooling.

^^Who wears pantyhose? 

^^^Call me liberated.  I'd say it's only one ride in 10 that I get a seat when there aren't other ones open, so it's not a decision I have to make often.

 

Edit: I'm a nice guy, I swear!

^^Who wears pantyhose?

 

It's required at my job if you wear a skirt, and many women wear them with pants as well as you are required to wear nice/dressy shoes and those aren't very comfortable without some kind of sock/hose. 

I would also like to point out that women are pregnant for 9 months but not showing for the majority of that time, so you may have NO IDEA if a woman you are looking at is pregnant or not.  You get tired and sick from the first month.  Does that mean you shouldn't get a seat until you're so visibly showing that there is no question you are pregnant, in the last trimester only? 

I would also like to point out that women are pregnant for 9 months but not showing for the majority of that time, so you may have NO IDEA if a woman you are looking at is pregnant or not.  You get tired and sick from the first month.  Does that mean you shouldn't get a seat until you're so visibly showing that there is no question you are pregnant, in the last trimester only? 

 

I can't argue with that.  To be honest, I think I live with myself because I almost never sit down unless I am particularly exhausted or loaded down carrying crap.  I just find the middle age guy offering his seat to a young woman vaguely patronizing- but I suppose it's not my fight to pick (and I'm not exactly middle aged yet).

 

I have many girl friends, not one of them wears pantyhose ever, and pantyhose and a skirt = seat?? ....Seriously?    If a woman is pregnant, she should let it be known, and ask to sit down.  Again, I have watched young girls sit with pregnant bellies in their faces, and elderly people in front of them but they are women, so they deserve the seat I guess. 

 

Anyway, back on topic.  This is a problem I am glad to see that RTA is having.

I would also like to point out that women are pregnant for 9 months but not showing for the majority of that time, so you may have NO IDEA if a woman you are looking at is pregnant or not.  You get tired and sick from the first month.  Does that mean you shouldn't get a seat until you're so visibly showing that there is no question you are pregnant, in the last trimester only? 

 

And you may have no idea if I'd had one knee replacement, one ACL replacement, one MCL replacement, and three knee scopes.....