wonderful article

 

It just goes to show that we (generally speaking) take the rapid for granted.

 

If the service on these lines was suddenly cut....the impact would painful!

I 2nd MyTwoSense.  We Clevelanders often get bogged down in such negativity, we can't see what we've done right in this town.  To hear some, Tower City is the most god awful mess you can imagine; yet, to outsiders, it is mixed use, multi-modal palace -- one that's rarely duplicated anywhere in the world.  And the Rapid is a major asset that many cities considered 'better' than Clevealand -- Seattle among them -- have trouble even building.  And it's a useful tool in moving locals & tourists around town to many businesses and activities and it interconnects very well with our bus system (extending the rapid) to which it offers a somewhat rare free transfer ... This acknowledgement is not a license for laurel-resting by any stretch of the imagination.  The But it's nice, sometime, to be re-grounded by getting a fresh perspective.

 

Good stuff, blinker; thanks for that... :wave:

Oh man, a positive article about c-town. Who would have thought. This is why the Euclid Cooridor project is so important. Those who goof on it do not see the whole picture. To me it's a slam dunk-it cost us very little and will change the face of euclid ave-can't wait

Heck, even New York City doesn't have direct rail links to its airports. I just had a friend in town from NYC for the weekend, and he -- like most people -- was stunned that Cleveland even had trains, let alone one that could take us directly from the airport to Ohio City (my nabe) in less than 30 minutes.

 

On a related note, airport signs pointing people to the Red Line should be larger, more numerous and make it more explicit that "Rapid Transit" means *train*. I bet a lot more people would ride the Red Line from Hopkins if they knew what the heck "Rapid Transit" meant! (OK, sorry for the criticism in what's otherwise a very positive thread!)

I agree with everyone else that has posted already that this was a nice article.  It's always nice to have a pick-me-up every now and then (not that there isn't a lot of great things going on here right now).  Hearing pleasant things from newcomers and visitors seems to be more the norm and I couldn't be happier.

 

Blinker12 brought up a good point however about how the term "Rapid Transit" could be a bit confusing.  It'd be interesting to see how we might be able to better brand the Rapid similar to how the signage is for the "T" in Boston.  Just a simple logo that is easy to see and interpret that lets one know that a train can be picked up there.  Even if there aren't rail extensions in the near future it may be a good time to polish up what we already have and further build from it.

 

 

Blinker, you inspired me to get on the RTA website and make a suggestion about the signage at the airport..we will see if they actually respond like the site says it will....

I've noticed that in some city's airports having rail transit, they have signage that says simply "Trains to City" with an arrow pointing the way.

 

Can't get more simple than that.

 

In Atlanta, MARTA has a display booth in one of the main concourse where arriving passengers can pick up brochures, maps, timetables, etc. I would add info that can be downloaded onto a PDA as well as, that way, any and all timetables can be retrieved if need be.

that seemed like an older article, but nice to read. hey, it's true.  :clap:

 

 

Heck, even New York City doesn't have direct rail links to its airports.

.....

 

you got that right. in fact that is a serious understatement, it's much less or worse than clev.

 

there is nada as far as rail to laguardia, my fav airport. it's a subway ride and then additional fee transfer to the airtrain to jfk. worst of all, despite a lot of positive local press and pr, is the rail connections (yes plural) to newark. you have to subway to nyc penn station, then take a nj transit commuter train to the newark airport station...and then transfer again to the airtrain to your terminal. three fees and it's all long and hellish waiting and lugging your stuff up and down everywhere. ugh.  :whip:

 

otoh, i love the rapid from the airport in clev, its a snap. direct rail service is key. when i come home, i like to take the rapid to w25th and wait for my ride in style at great lakes brewing or wherever around there!  :laugh:

 

btw as an nyc tip, if you have time i'd rec taking the path train in manhattan to the last stop in nj (downtown newark penn station) and then take the bus from there to newark airport, it's only $3.50 total and is quicker than all that rail transfering. if yr in a big hurry take the gray line bus at port authority or grand central ($15). see? clev has it good as far as getting to the airport by rail!

 

I've noticed that in some city's airports having rail transit, they have signage that says simply "Trains to City" with an arrow pointing the way.

 

Yep, that's exactly what I had in mind.

I still think "The Rapid" is great (I daresay cute) local vernacular, but in the airport we should use something more generic.

 

mrnyc, I did the NYC airport schlep many a time during my 7 years in the city. The sweating, the lugging, the cursing, the transfers... ugh.

yea on my trip to nyc last february we took the rapid from U Circle to the Airport.  convenient.  Hour flight.  quick.  We land at Laguardia and had to wait for a taxi/shuttle to get to the hotel.  lots of waiting.  i remember standing there amazed about the "taxi waiting area" being this long line of people as if they were waiting for a train to come. 

Just adding to the chorus - when my S.O. and I went on vacation this past week, we hopped on the 81 in Tremont to the West 25th station. $1.50 each and about a half-hour later we were at the gate, ready for departure.  :-)

I received my response from RTA via email today about the signage suggestion at the airport (more signs, bigger signs, and change "rapid transit" to "TRAINS")...the response was.."Thank you, we will forward your suggestion to the sign department"......  :roll:

 

The other day on the way back from NYC, I was buying a ticket for the train,there were two guys from out of town asking the attendant in the both how to take the train to downtown.  They had obviously never used the system before, so they weren't sure where to go.  The attendant never looked up, she just kept repeating loudly "TOWER CITY".  If you are from out of town, what the fuck does that mean?  I had to explain to them, (loud enough for her to hear) that TC is the main stop downtown where you can catch other trains, buses, and it is in the city center.  Then I apologized to them for the unprofessionalism of certain employees.  It is disgraceful of how rude some of the employees can be at times! 

I love the train, but they really need to work on how that thing is run.  Please announce ALL stop in plain English!  If you have a muliple car train, please open all the doors so people can exit!  I was on the second car the other day, the train stopped at the West Blvd station, but the only door the operator opened was the very front door of the first car!  I missed my stop, because the opertator opened only doors to the first car!  They should at least warn people that only one car will be opened at certain stops.  I love the rapid, but it's the little things that piss me off, it makes the Rapid seem so bush league at times!

^ I wouldn't hold your breath.  I sent an email through the website almost 9 months ago asking them to replace 10 burned out lights in the Ohio City Rapid station.  Got the same reply, except that it was forwarded to facilities.

 

I was in the station last week and guess what...lights were still all out.  GO RTA!

 

Blinker12 brought up a good point however about how the term "Rapid Transit" could be a bit confusing.  It'd be interesting to see how we might be able to better brand the Rapid similar to how the signage is for the "T" in Boston. 

 

Excuse me?  The logo "T" is less confusing the "Rapid Transit!!??"  In case you haven't noticed, rapid transit is the universal term most cities use for their systems, even Boston.  I even see it in NYC's subway.  Remember, IRT, which still appears in a few places, stands for "Interborogh Rapid Transit".  And although Chicago's is popularly known as the el (or, really, the "L" most times), all entrances to the system, as well as all CTA maps, use the term "rapid transit".  At the airport, we use the term rapid transit and the stylized, universal signage w/ the euro-looking train and 2 tracks under it.  I don't see what more we can do. 

 

I might suggest, though (like Chicago), RTA post more ads w/ big glossy pictures of an airport Rapid train while advertising how cheap and fast it is compared to cabbies ... of course, our loud taxicab union would probably cry 'foul'.  I used to see some of these at Hopkins, but they've disappeared.

Excuse me?  The logo "T" is less confusing the "Rapid Transit!!??"  In case you haven't noticed, rapid transit is the universal term most cities use for their systems, even Boston. 

 

But you're a transit-savvy person. One of the biggest failings of transit agency staff is they assume that their customers know what they know. And if they don't, they're stupid. Instead, RTA staff, try acting like you care. Assuming riders know their way around the transit system isn't a good way to gain first-time riders.

 

I'll wager that a majority of people who live in Greater Cleveland have no clue how to use the system, and even those of who do still get thrown for a loop. Imagine being a visitor who has just arrived at a strange airport. If you want to gain riders, RTA, put yourself in the shoes of the person who has never used RTA before. Better yet, ask people arriving at Hopkins how to improve RTA's delivery of information -- then act on the suggestions!

 

I don't see what more we can do. 

 

That's sounds like the same reaction I hear from RTA too often. You were the last person I'd expect to read that from!  :whip:

Maybe the posters, I suggested can help.  We also may consider a "Transportation Center" (w/ the Rapid photos) tied in w/ the Visitor's center, at the Baggage area just above the escalators to the Rapid, parking tunnel.  I just think, in terms of signage -- the type of compact, directional (overhead) signage that is standard to most airports, I don't see what more we can do.

I'm partial to the "Trains to City" signs. What's a rapid transit?

Just adding to the chorus - when my S.O. and I went on vacation this past week, we hopped on the 81 in Tremont to the West 25th station. $1.50 each and about a half-hour later we were at the gate, ready for departure.  :-)

 

I do this about 10 times a month.  I love the fact that i can jump on the train at Coventry (or Shaker Sq.) and (on average) im at my gate 45/50 minutes later, even during peak travel times! 

 

yea on my trip to nyc last february we took the rapid from U Circle to the Airport.  convenient.  Hour flight.  quick.  We land at Laguardia and had to wait for a taxi/shuttle to get to the hotel.  lots of waiting.  i remember standing there amazed about the "taxi waiting area" being this long line of people as if they were waiting for a train to come. 

 

Unfortunately once I arrive at LGA, I have to wait for a crowded bus - that makes 4 stops inside the airport - before getting on our way.  Taking a taxi is a pain as zaceman states, as the wait time is usually longer than the ride to my house.  I live near 125/5th avenue and the ride to my house from the airport is (on average) 13 minutes....however, the 40 minute wait for a taxi is not sexy.

 

If I have to arrive/depart from Newark its even more of a pain as trains don't always come as indicated in the published schedule!  :whip:

 

 

I love the fact that we call our rail system "the rapid" instead of "the subway" as its UNIQUELY Cleveland.

 

However, I wish stations displayed neighborhood maps with building, points of interests, hospitals, schools, etc.  I also think RTA should be talking to local businesses/apartment building asking them to "advertise/promote" their local train station.  Also, at major train stations there should be token both clerks on duty 24/7 so all the driver has to do is open/close doors.

 

Blinker12 brought up a good point however about how the term "Rapid Transit" could be a bit confusing.  It'd be interesting to see how we might be able to better brand the Rapid similar to how the signage is for the "T" in Boston. 

 

Excuse me?  The logo "T" is less confusing the "Rapid Transit!!??"  In case you haven't noticed, rapid transit is the universal term most cities use for their systems, even Boston.  I even see it in NYC's subway.  Remember, IRT, which still appears in a few places, stands for "Interborogh Rapid Transit".   And although Chicago's is popularly known as the el (or, really, the "L" most times), all entrances to the system, as well as all CTA maps, use the term "rapid transit".  At the airport, we use the term rapid transit and the stylized, universal signage w/ the euro-looking train and 2 tracks under it.  I don't see what more we can do. 

 

I might suggest, though (like Chicago), RTA post more ads w/ big glossy pictures of an airport Rapid train while advertising how cheap and fast it is compared to cabbies ... of course, our loud taxicab union would probably cry 'foul'.  I used to see some of these at Hopkins, but they've disappeared.

 

 

 

I've written Continental, Mok and RTA to get them to post RTAs rapid transit schedule on Continental's website, like Continental has the New Jersey transit train schedule on their website.  RTA has got to initiate/institute a better partnership/marketing program and develop/maintain/manage partnerships effectively.

 

As I indicated in my letter to the parties above i noted, "cleveland rapid goes directly to the terminal" unlike newark where you still have to make a connection to the AirLink trains, this alone could be a big boost to the Red Line.  I also suggest that the airport, RTA and decorate a few trains (one or two an hour) with Hopkins signage (this train could have all kinds of airport information on it and be staffed with a CS rep to talk about the benefits of using Public Transportation and give general airport information) AND for instance Continental or SouthWest could paint a train with their airlines Livery (this would give them exclusive rights to advertise inside the entire car).  Continental alone could use the cars and play off of their long standing "from here to there" advertising campaign.  ie.  "from TowerCity to ----" , "from the East bank in Cleveland to the East Bank in Germany", "from Playhouse Square to Broadway", "from Ohio City to Any City in minutes"  blah, blah, blah  you get the point.

^ Cool ideas!

Yeah, it does sound like some more promotion of the direct link to-from the airport would be helpful.  Especially when you kind of have a ready-made catch phrase... I see a two-page pamphlet with the phrase "Get from this terminal..."  [image of Hopkins] "...to this one..." [image of the Terminal Tower].  I guess the key is whether or not it's obvious that the image of the Terminal Tower means "the city".  To locals, Terminal Tower means downtown.  So you might need to revise the cover to grab attention, maybe specify the low cost:  "$1.50 gets you from this terminal to this one," and on the interior, photos of the city, the trains, the TC area itself, etc.  Stress that one trip, no transfers gets you to the heart of downtown Cleveland.

Yeah, it does sound like some more promotion of the direct link to-from the airport would be helpful.  Especially when you kind of have a ready-made catch phrase... I see a two-page pamphlet with the phrase "Get from this terminal..."  [image of Hopkins] "...to this one..." [image of the Terminal Tower]. I guess the key is whether or not it's obvious that the image of the Terminal Tower means "the city".  To locals, Terminal Tower means downtown.  So you might need to revise the cover to grab attention, maybe specify the low cost:  "$1.50 gets you from this terminal to this one," and on the interior, photos of the city, the trains, the TC area itself, etc.  Stress that one trip, no transfers gets you to the heart of downtown Cleveland.

 

Did you plagiarize my letter??  That is very same example, yet worded differently, I used in my letter!  :wink:

 

I also threw in stuff about the zoo, Tremont, Edgewater, Shaker Square, Collinwood, parma flamingos to miami beach flamingos, slavic village

 

Cleveland needs to run like a business.  We need a "brand manager" and "account executive", a Communication guru...but don't get me started down that street!

i think $3 is a lot for an all day pass

 

i was talkin to someone from SF and they said a pass for the whole month is 20 bucks. it costs 13.50 for an express 7-day here and 54 dollars for a month pass. thats a lot.....a lot more than 20 for a month.

 

and RTA wants to raise prices?

 

 

$3???

 

thats not bad at all.

From bart.gov, the Bay Area Rapid Transit web site - maybe your friend lives in a DIFFERENT San Francisco?

 

"BART's fare structure is built on a mileage-based formula, therefore weekly or monthly passes for BART fare are not available. However, BART offers discounts ranging from 6.25% to 62.5% as described below."

 

Sorry - I'm car-free and RTA is my main mode of transportation and I have no problem with them hiking fares to $1.75-$2.00.

what other san franciscos are there? she lives in san francisco, CA and takes public transportation everywhere.....doesnt have a car doesnt want one. told me its 20 bucks for a month pass. im pretty sure she'd know what she was talkin about.

 

so you think they should charge $2 just for a single ride? thats very steep IMO. what if someone just wants to go somewhere 5 minutes away on a bus and come back? they'd have to pay for an all day pass basically.

 

mayday do you buy the weekly passes or monthly? i dont have a car and ride RTA quite a lot but i usually just opt for an all day pass since i have to get on other buses and weekly id pay more since i dont take bus/rapid everyday.

Question, have you ever been on the BART?

 

Bart doesn't have passes.  It has these flimsy ass "tickets" and you put amounts in the TVM and it gives you a ticket. 

 

Either your friend is unclear or you've translated the information she told you incorrectly.

 

Bart sales are based on "distance" travelled so you can put an amount on a "ticket" and when you swipe upon entering a station then exit at your final station.  the amount is deducted.

"what other san franciscos are there? she lives in san francisco, CA and takes public transportation everywhere.....doesnt have a car doesnt want one. told me its 20 bucks for a month pass. im pretty sure she'd know what she was talkin about."

 

The information I posted comes directly from the official San Francisco public transit site. There is no such thing as a monthly pass - now, I'm sure she can get a month's worth of tickets (like MyTwoSense described) or maybe she gave you a wrong interpretation?

 

I buy weekly passes - if RTA put the prices at $2 a ride, I think it would be a good idea for them to offer discounts to weekly/monthly pass purchasers.

Consider looking at fares for more than just transit agencies in the Bay Area. I think you'll find they are comparable to RTA's (even after RTA's planned fare hike that will be announced later today. I'm supposed to get a heads-up as soon as the board makes their decision and will post it here). But look at multiple transit systems before you form an opinion.

 

Also, with RTA's day pass, the more you ride, the less expensive it gets. RTA found that the average fare paid per passenger was actually only 69 cents per vehicle trip.

 

Back to San Fran.... There are multiple transit operators in the Bay Area, and this list doesn't even include shuttles between rail stations:

 

Bus Systems

AC Transit (Local service)

AC Transit (Transbay service)

American Canyon Transit

Benicia Breeze

Cloverdale Transit

County Connection

Dumbarton Express

Fairfield-Suisun Transit

Golden Gate Transit

Healdsburg In-City Transit

Muni (SF)

Petaluma Transit

samTrans

Santa Clara VTA

Santa Rosa CityBus

Sonoma County Transit

St. Helena VINE

Tri Delta Transit

Union City Transit

Vacaville City Coach

Vallejo Transit

VINE (Napa County)

WestCAT

WHEELS

 

Other Systems

AirBART

Burlingame Shuttle

Emery Go-Round

Foster City Shuttle

Marin County Shuttle Connection

Menlo Park Midday Shuttle

Napa Downtown Trolley

Palo Alto Shuttle

Presidio Shuttle

San Leandro Links (shuttle)

Stanford Marguerite Shuttle

UC Berkeley Campus Shuttle

West Berkeley Shuttle

West Marin Stagecoach

Yountville Shuttle 

 

Rail Systems

ACE (Altamont Commuter Express)

Amtrak - Capitol Corridor & Regional Services

BART

Caltrain

Muni (SF) (Light Rail)

Santa Clara VTA (Light Rail)

 

Ferry Systems

Alameda Harbor Bay Ferry

Alameda/Oakland Ferry

Angel Island/Tiburon Ferry

Blue & Gold Fleet

Golden Gate Ferry

Vallejo Baylink Ferry

 

Dial-a-Ride

Calistoga Handy Van

Rio Vista Delta Breeze

VINE Go (Napa County)

Yeah, the friend who was talking about monthly passes was probably referring to the muni. BART is the transit from the airport to the city and from other bay area cities into SF. People don't use BART to get around the city.

 

On a side note, the muni is awesome. They are basically cable-busses. They run on electricity rather than gasoline which probably contributes to lower fares. Also, I'm pretty sure they have a higher ridership than the RTA.

RTA all-day pass only costs $1 with my geezer (Medicare) card. The time between age 65 and when you get feeble and incontinent and lose your faculties ain't all bad. :-D

Three dollars too much?  That is freakin CHEAP!  MTA (NYC) all day "fun pass" isn't THAT fun...it costs $7!  Obviously MTA is a much more massive and comprehensive transit system, but the ridership is massive as well.  Even if RTA raises the all day pass to $4 it would still be a deal.  Try driving and paying for parking (be it parking lots or pumping money into meters all day with the threat of getting a parking fine)...I am sure three or four bucks isn't a bad option.

$3 for an all-day pass is a steal.  We have commuters who pay $3.90 each way from the end of the line, which also doesn't include the parking fee. 

 

Of course, if you'd rather shell out for gas and parking, that's your prerogative.

Yeah, the friend who was talking about monthly passes was probably referring to the muni. BART is the transit from the airport to the city and from other bay area cities into SF. People don't use BART to get around the city.

 

On a side note, the muni is awesome. They are basically cable-busses. They run on electricity rather than gasoline which probably contributes to lower fares. Also, I'm pretty sure they have a higher ridership than the RTA.

 

Well some of them are trolly buses, some are light rail and some are crappy old diesel-belching heaps. Anyhow, I agree that the transit system in question was almost surely Muni but unless you qualify for some special fare category, Muni passes certainly are not $20 per month (http://www.sfmuni.com/cms/mms/fares/fareinfo.htm#aboutpasses).

 

Speaking of Muni- their light rail cars have retractable stairs that allow them to serve at-grade and elevated platforms. Sure makes a lot more sense than RTA's operation of two fleets...

I could swear when mom and I commuted via the busses in Cleveland that a monthly pass was $54 - and that was in 1992.  Am I remembering incorrectly, or have the rates really not gone up in fourteen years?

 

(BTW, that was a hell of a commute - from Richfield to CWRU every day and back...we had to pay the out-of-county surcharge of $0.50/ride, so it was more than $54 for us - but that would have gotten us on any bus/train in the system)

It's been $54 since 1993 -- the last time RTA had a fare increase.

OK, here's the press release....

_________________

 

Tuesday, May 16, 2006                          MEDIA CONTACT: Jerry Masek

216.566.5211

 

Posted at rideRTA.com

 

 

 

RTA Board approves fare increase – first in 13 years

 

CLEVELAND – Pushed by fuel costs that have more than tripled in recent years, the Board of Trustees of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) today approved the first system-wide fare increase since 1993.

 

To lessen the impact on customers, the Board approved a two-step increase. Most fares will increase 25 cents on July 1, 2006, and 25 cents on Jan. 7, 2008.

 

“More than 90 percent of RTA customers either purchase passes or qualify for reduced fares,” says CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese. “This means the average fare we collect per ride is far less than the established cash fares. In 2005, we saw collected an average of 69 cents. If the current mix of riders continue, today’s action will increase the average fare by 14 cents in July, and 14 more cents in 2008.”

 

Calabrese notes that farebox revenue is not used for capital projects, such as the Euclid Corridor.

 

Customer surveys showed overwhelming support for balancing the budget with a fare increase instead of service reductions, Calabrese says.

 

Highlights of today’s action:

RTA is moving toward a common fare for bus and rail. All passes will be accepted for full fare after July 1.

Park-N-Ride bus customers and Football Flyer customers will pay a bit more for premium service.

Weekly and monthly passes are being added for seniors/disabled.

The discount continues for seniors/disabled.

Although. Federal law allows RTA to charge more than the base rate, Paratransit customers will continue to pay only the base rate

ADA clients can continue to use fixed-route bus and rail service at no charge.

 

Background

According to the American Public Transportation Association, no major transit system in the nation has gone without a fare increase longer than RTA.

Fuel costs have risen: $4 million in 2002 to an estimated $14 million in 2006.

RTA uses about 5.4 million gallons of fuel each year, so a penny increase in diesel fuel adds $54,000 to RTA’s operating budget.

Because of a commitment to the environment, RTA uses ultra low sulfur “clean diesel” fuel, which costs about 12 cents more per gallon.

In recent years, RTA has reduced its workforce by 366 positions, reduced its fleet by 106 buses, consolidated garages and increased productivity. As a result, RTA has eliminated more than $25 million annually from its operating budget.

In recent years, State funding for transit has been cut by 63 percent.

RTA ridership: About 200,000 on an average weekday, and more than 57 million in 2005. The agency has put together three straight years of ridership growth.

Eight public hearings were held in late April and early May.

In 1993, the date of the last fare increase, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline was $1.07.

 

“Despite these necessary increases, RTA still remains a bargain -- the most cost-effective way to travel,” Calabrese says.

 

How will RTA’s fare increase affect you?

 

Bus:

$1.25 Local cash fare will rise to $1.50 in July, and $1.75 in 2008.

Local and Express cash fares, tickets and passes will be equal.

5-ride tickets will go to $7.50 in July and $8.75 in 2008.

$3 All-Day Pass will go to $3.50 in July and $4 in 2008

$11.25 Weekly Pass will go to $15 in July and $17.50 in 2008.

$45 Monthly Pass will go to $58 in July and $63 in 2008.

 

Express Rapid:

$1.50 cash fare will rise to $1.75 in July.

5-ride tickets will go to $7.50 in July and $8.75 in 2008.

$3 All-Day Pass will go to $3.50 in July and $4 in 2008.

$13.50 Weekly Pass will go to $15 in July and $17.50 in 2008.

$54 Monthly Pass will go to $58 in July and $63 in 2008.

 

Community Circulators:

$0.75 cash fare will be the same in July and $1 in 2008.

5-ride tickets will go to $3.75 in July and $5 in 2008.

( - more - )

Page 3, fares

 

Park-N-Ride bus service:

Affects #246, #251, #263, #239, #51 and #451

$1.50 cash fare will rise to $1.75 in July, and $2 in 2008.

Riders can pay 25 cents extra when using a regular bus/rail ticket.

5-ride tickets will go to $8.75 in July and $10 in 2008.

$3 All-Day Pass will go to $3.50 in July and $4 in 2008.

$13.50 Weekly Pass will go to $17.50 in July and $20 in 2008.

$54 Monthly Pass will go to $63 in July and $70 in 2008.

 

Seniors/disabled:

50-cent cash fare will rise to 60 cents in July and 75 cents in 2008.

5-ride tickets will go to $3 in July, $3.75 in 2008.

$1 All-Day Pass will go to $1.25 in July and $1.75 in 2008.

Weekly Pass (new), $6 in July and $7.50 in 2008

Monthly Pass (new), $24 in July and $29 in 2008

 

Out-of-county:

$2.50 cash fare will rise to $2.75 in July, and $3 in 2008, for routes that extend out-of-the-county for more than one mile.

No additional charge for seniors/disabled

Persons using a bus/Rapid ticket will pay an additional $1.25.

Persons using a Park-N-Ride ticket will pay an additional $1.

 

Students:

$1 for a single-ride ticket will rise to $1.25 in July and $1.50 in 2008.

Available only to authorized schools

 

Children ages 6-12:

$1 Children’s All-Day Pass goes to $1.25 in July and $1.75 in 2008.

Up to three children under age six can ride free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

 

Paratransit:

$1.25 cash fare will rise to $1.50 in July and $1.75 in 2008.

5-ride tickets will go to $7.50 in July and $8.75 in 2008.

$11.25 Weekly Pass will rise to $15 in July and $17.50 in 2008.

$45 Monthly Pass will rise to $58 in July and $63 in 2008.

Paratransit customers and seniors with special passes can continue to ride free on RTA fixed-route service.

 

Football Flyers:

$2.50 cash fare each way. No passes will be accepted.

 

Questions? Send e-mail to  HYPERLINK "mailto:[email protected]"  [email protected]  or call 216-621-9500.

 

I bought a $3 day pass yesterday and took the bus three times and the rapid once.  That's $.75 per trip.  Not bad!

 

I'm glad they didn't go for the max increase and that they're going to phase this in over the next two years.  Overall, considering inflation and the rising cost of alternative forms of transportation (biking and walking excluded!), this is not such a bad thing.  Especially when you consider the "background" section posted above.  It's ridiculous that the state is cutting transit funding by such large amounts...that's really where any negative response to this fare hike should be directed!

Yeah, the friend who was talking about monthly passes was probably referring to the muni. BART is the transit from the airport to the city and from other bay area cities into SF. People don't use BART to get around the city.

 

On a side note, the muni is awesome. They are basically cable-busses. They run on electricity rather than gasoline which probably contributes to lower fares. Also, I'm pretty sure they have a higher ridership than the RTA.

 

Well some of them are trolly buses, some are light rail and some are crappy old diesel-belching heaps.  Anyhow, I agree that the transit system in question was almost surely Muni but unless you qualify for some special fare category, Muni passes certainly are not $20 per month (http://www.sfmuni.com/cms/mms/fares/fareinfo.htm#aboutpasses).

 

Speaking of Muni- their light rail cars have retractable stairs that allow them to serve at-grade and elevated platforms.  Sure makes a lot more sense than RTA's operation of two fleets...

 

IIRC, those muni cars are just like the old shaker cars.  so the new(er) shaker cars can't be retrofitted with those "drop down stairs"...so its comparing apples to oranges.

are there going to be 10 ride tickets? 

^MTS, I think you'e referring to the PCC cars that prowl the surface of Market Street and the waterfront.  There are also modern light rail cars that tunnel under Market Street before surfacing outside of downtown (very similar to Boston's Green Line)- these are the nifty ones whose stairs raise up inside the car to be able to serve the high platforms underground and then lower back down to reach the street when they are on the surface.

 

KJP, think these are in RTA's future?  Are there other HR/LR operational differences that make the issue more complicated than the cool stairs?

Actually, Muni in San Fran is the sister agency to the RTA, and a monthly Muni adult pass is priced at $45.00.  One of the big differences is State funding.  The State of California provided $1.3 Billion to fund public transit, while the State of Ohio provided $18 Million (2004 numbers).  Under the new fare program, RTA will no longer sell 10 ride tickets, but suggests you buy a pair of 5 ride tickets instead.  One of the major aspects to the new fare structure is the equilization of fares for bus and the rapid.  In addition, the fares on buses will be easier to understand, with only the true Park-N-Ride service being priced at premium.  

^MTS, I think you're referring to the PCC cars that prowl the surface of Market Street and the waterfront.  There are also modern light rail cars that tunnel under Market Street before surfacing outside of downtown (very similar to Boston's Green Line)- these are the nifty ones whose stairs raise up inside the car to be able to serve the high platforms underground and then lower back down to reach the street when they are on the surface.

 

KJP, think these are in RTA's future?  Are there other HR/LR operational differences that make the issue more complicated than the cool stairs?

 

Ahhh...see Ive only been on those cars , the bus thingie and the BART in San Fran and as much as people in Cleveland like to diss RTA..I for one enjoy our service and price paid for service.

 

I've been in cities were transit is no existent, like Atlanta or Miami where you couldn't find a bus or a bus stop if you had DOD satelite surveillance!

Ctownsfinest -

 

Use the IRS' mileage rate of $0.445 per mile and calculate the distance you want to travel.  If you have to drive more than 6-7 miles roundtrip, than the RTA day pass will pay for itself.  It's pretty easy math. 

 

Oh...and you can factor in your parking fees if you're commuting to downtown.  So theoretically, if you can park for $2 (not a chance), and you live within one mile, then taking the RTA might not pay for itself.  You should probably be walking in this scenario though!

^ The IRS number isn't a bad number to use, although it was briefly increased to 48.5 cents per mile late last year and may rise again from 44.5 cents if gas prices continue at or above their current levels (see http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=105708,00.html or http://www.turbotax.com/articles/taking_business_tax_deductions.html ). I believe those costs may include an average parking cost divided to reach the per-mile figure.

 

But AAA has some interesting numbers to consider. They state that, for a car owned and driven 15,000 miles per year, the average cost to the owner is $7,800, or 56 cents per mile. When you apply that 56 cents per mile to your commute, you may be shocked at the figure at be tempted to give up that second or third car which sits idle 95 percent of the time.

 

As for the rail cars, RTA (including Joe Calabrese) remains very interested in a standardized rail car fleet for a number of reasons. These include reduced maintenance costs from not having to keep two separate stocks of repair tools and replacement parts, lower insurance and depreciation costs allowed by a smaller rail car fleet to meet deployment needs, and greater flexibility in providing through service, such as continuing one of the Shaker Lines to the West Side Red Line.

 

As far as I know, the issue of platform heights/rail car floor heights is the only one which prevents a standardized fleet (that and a lack of funds to replace the whole fleet -- which is why RTA is renovating its existing trains first to squeeze more years/miles out of them).

yea BART is bay area rapid transit. SF has a subway/bus system that is different from that. im not just makin stuff up outta my ass....she relies on public transportation to get everywhere so i think she'd know.

 

i dont exactly think its dirt cheap to ride RTA.....$3 isnt bad for an all day pass but it all adds up. especially if you use it a lot. $4 more for the weekly pass now is a lot. i dont think the rate of inflation is that much. is RTA even going to make an attempt to extend rapid lines in the near future? the euclid project was a big figure and they are just making that BRT. i dont understand the point of BRT, why not just light rail if it already costs so much?

 

on a side note its time to stock up on E7 passes and slang them after july

yea BART is bay area rapid transit. SF has a subway/bus system that is different from that. im not just makin stuff up outta my ass....she relies on public transportation to get everywhere so i think she'd know.

 

i dont exactly think its dirt cheap to ride RTA.....$3 isnt bad for an all day pass but it all adds up. especially if you use it a lot. $4 more for the weekly pass now is a lot. i dont think the rate of inflation is that much. is RTA even going to make an attempt to extend rapid lines in the near future? the euclid project was a big figure and they are just making that BRT. i dont understand the point of BRT, why not just light rail if it already costs so much?

 

on a side note its time to stock up on E7 passes and slang them after july

 

the value for you dollar in Cleveland is great compared to other major cities. $3 is a steal no matter how you slice it. 

I believe those costs may include an average parking cost divided to reach the per-mile figure.

 

No, I think you have to add parking costs on top of that figure.  I can't find a direct description of the methodology from Runzheimer, who's created the IRS figure for 25 years now, but in another story it talks about a figure of 61.1¢/mile as the cost of driving between Philly and Boston (the 44.5¢/mile figure isn't intended to cover the whole cost of driving, just the deductible portion), and says that figure includes "operating costs for fuel, maintenance and tires, and ownership costs for insurance, license and registration fees, taxes and depreciation."

Thanks for the clarification.

As far as I know, the issue of platform heights/rail car floor heights is the only one which prevents a standardized fleet (that and a lack of funds to replace the whole fleet -- which is why RTA is renovating its existing trains first to squeeze more years/miles out of them).

 

Well, that and RTA's rail fleet is only about 20-25 years old.  Those cars are due for their mid-life overhaul, and will likely last another 20-25 years.  I think "squeezing miles" is probably pushing it a bit.

As far as I know, the issue of platform heights/rail car floor heights is the only one which prevents a standardized fleet (that and a lack of funds to replace the whole fleet -- which is why RTA is renovating its existing trains first to squeeze more years/miles out of them).

 

As you may know other cities have passenger railcars with two boarding height options, i.e. low and high platform.  RTA can go this route someday.  I'm told the refurbed Breda cars won't last as long as people think.  Even still, it wouldn't be that difficult or costly to modify them to board at Red Line platforms. RTA has already tested running them to the Airport and the car fits.