Okay so someone may have already complained about a similar experience upthread, but I'd just like to vent to fellow UO-ers:

 

I live in Ohio City, and the other day, a friend and I decided we were going to get dinner on Larchmere via the rapid to Shaker Square.  We bought single-ride passes at the West 25th Street Red Line station and planned on transferring at Tower City to the Green Line.  Turns out that you can't transfer at Tower City without exiting the platform, BUYING ANOTHER SINGLE RIDE PASS, then re-entering the platform.  It's just completely ridiculous.  I called the RTA complaint line and the General Manager told me that "your trip to Larchmere was two trips."  Uhh, it's not my fault that I have to transfer to get from Ohio City to Shaker.  Also, it's not really clear when you're supposed to pay when you board the Green Line westbound for the return trip.

 

This experience led me to several conclusions about things that RTA needs to do to improve its rider experience:

 

1) provide one free transfer with each ticket purchase, and free transfers WITHIN THE SAME STATION

2) install turnstiles at every station, at least on the red line

3) institute a declining balance payment system, so riders don't need a new pass every time they ride the rapid

 

With all the visitors due to visit Cleveland this year (ie Gay Games), it would behoove RTA to take some steps toward simplifying its ridership policies. 

 

Yeah, I know ... RTA's fare collecting system is bizarre, to say the least... One thing that you must understand that should make life easier is RTA's philosophy: there are NO transfers; they were eliminated years ago.  Instead, the single ride fare RTA quotes ($2.25 IIRC), is for just that - 1 single ride.  In order to make multiple trips you can do one of a couple things: 1) pay single ride fares for each vehicle and each line you ride on: including when transferring from Red to Blue or Green, and vice versa, 2) buy a strip of 10 (I believe) single ride fare cards ... or 3), which is what I do, get an unlimited ride pass (daily, weekly or monthly).  Since I'm in and out of town, and ride RTA sporadically, I always get a $5.00 day pass which, I think, is good till 3a the next morning.  $5.00 for a day pass is quite reasonable as big city transit fares goes and makes life much easier.  You may want to try that next time you head to Shaker Square, or elsewhere.... But remember, when it comes to paper transfers, either free or fee based, fugedaboudit, they don’t exist in RTAworld.

 

I even get the Day pass even when I pretty much know I'm only making 2 trips (1 in, 1 out) and I'll lose .50... No big deal because I prefer the flexibility and there's always that chance I may want to make more than the 2 trips.

 

^transfers do exist to RTA, but only if you're transferrring between counties. For some reason transfers between Metro or Laketran exist, but RTA won't let you transfer within Cuyahoga county.

 

IMO, RTA should offer a single "trip" ticket for an extra .25 that's good for a couple hours. If you aren't providing busses everywhere in the county from everywhere else (which would be stupid), you shouldn't charge extra for transfers.

I think everyone agrees that RTA's payment system is absurdly complex for an agency of its size...three distinct payment routines, depending on the vehicle type/route is nuts and unfriendly to visitors and occasional riders. The web site is improved but still does a terrible job explaining how it all works, IMHO.  The fare system isn't totally arbitrary though, and not super cheap to rationalize for lots of reasons.

 

FYI, single ride tickets have no transfer privileges at all, as you discovered, but you can buy a 5 trip card, and each trip is good for unlimited transfers for 2.5 hours.  I have no idea why RTA doesn't make this clear on its "fares" web page: http://www.riderta.com/fares.  I don't think you can buy 5 trip cards from a station, though; only from the RTA customer service center or a private seller: http://www.riderta.com/vendorlocations.  But the RTA website doesn't make this clear either.

 

Jet, Jerry, please consider making the following changes to your website:

 

*On the "fares" page, make clear what transfer privileges are available with the cash fare and 5-trip fare cards.

*Have a "where to buy" link next to each fare option on the "fares" page and make sure what it links to clearly explains the right info (not just the vendor chart)

*Completely rewrite the "How to pay page"(http://www.riderta.com/howtopay) focusing first on the different payment routines (light rail, Red Line/Health Line, buses) and then how to use the machines.  The current page is a mess, with random formatting and distracting language that looks like it was ripped form the POP press release several years ago.

 

 

 

^transfers do exist to RTA, but only if you're transferrring between counties. For some reason transfers between Metro or Laketran exist, but RTA won't let you transfer within Cuyahoga county.

 

Oh OK, you've edumacated me... I've never riden the beyond-Cuyahoga county systems.  Good to know.

In the future, if you plan to ride more than two GCRTA vehicles that day, buy a Day Pass. It is GCRTA's own antidote to its confusing fare payment/boarding policies.

Guys, unless something has changed very recently, transfers do exist to RTA even within the county if you use a 5-trip card. Save yourself the 50 cents!

 

And good news! "Bus/Rapid Farecards are also valid with no additional fare on circulator and loop service" https://websrvor15.gcrta.org:8000/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10024&sitex=10020:51236:US

Just buy a bunch of 5 trip cards and pretend they're smart cards, but better because you can put one in your car, wallet, bicycle bag, desk at work, etc. You always have a bunch, so when you want to go somewhere with friends you just gather them up, or take the extras you keep in your drawer at home and everyone gets one and you're on your merry way.

 

You can get 5 trip cards at certain vending machines at Tower City (They're the non-spiffy looking ones, so I prefer not to get them there). They also can be found at the customer service counters of Discount Drug Mart, Giant Eagle, Dave's Supermarket, and other places. GCRTA will also mail them to you for a dollar when you buy them online.

 

Congratulations you never have to deal with the dumb red machines, or do the "Ohh I knew I was going to get on this bus, but I'm going to look surprised at this fare machine, and do the which pocket did my money get off to"-dance again.

Guys, unless something has changed very recently, transfers do exist to RTA even within the county if you use a 5-trip card. Save yourself the 50 cents!

Yes, I know, I used up my last one yesterday morning, but IMO one trip cards should also exist and should be sold at the station vending machines and on busses.

 

"The connection is not an added convenience for which the customer should pay extra.  It's an inconvenience required by the geometry of any efficient, legible, and frequent transit system." - Jarrett Walker

^Gotcha.  And agreed.  I just wanted to clarify in light of the day pass advice offered by others.

In the future, if you plan to ride more than two GCRTA vehicles that day, buy a Day Pass. It is GCRTA's own antidote to its confusing fare payment/boarding policies.

 

That's what I did.  But making things difficult/confusing/expensive for occasional riders is just plain dumb. 

 

Every new rider that hasn't just moved in starts out as an "occasional rider".

What happened to the signage that used to be on the Green/Blue Line trains that explained how the fare collection worked? Years ago I recall seeing signs on the trains that essentially said "Westbound- Pay when exiting; Eastbound- Pay when entering." Last time I was in town and rode the Rapid, I did not see any such signs anywhere. My entire trip, I tried viewing everything with the perspective of someone who has never ridden the Rapid before, and my thought was that I would have no clue what to do. 

Speaking of signage, RTA really needs to fix up the signage in Tower City.  Once Phase II of Flats East Bank opens in 2015, a lot more people will be using the Waterfront Line, so let's hope RTA doesn't get caught with it's pants down ... again. Right now there's no signs, arrows or anything directing people to where to board Waterfront Line trains.  Oftentimes people wanting to go eastbound end up on the WFL platform, so train engineers heading for the Waterfront must always ask passengers whether they're sure they want to be on the driver's train.  It's even worse now that the Blue/Green line trains have eliminated directional signs in favor of the color bands... There's no Waterfront Line color...

 

So Tower City is a mess -- direction-wise and fare-wise on the Blue/Green/WFL side,  confusing to Clevelanders and visitors alike.  I asked Jerry and JetDog about it some time ago, and don't recall getting any response.  What say you guys? 

Greater Cleve RTA ‏@GCRTA  51s

Delays of approx 1 hr on all bus lines due to traffic & weather conditions. Rail still running on schedule.

Greater Cleve RTA ‏@GCRTA  51s

Delays of approx 1 hr on all bus lines due to traffic & weather conditions. Rail still running on schedule.

 

"The GCRTA itself launched a large scale branding campaign, which defined BRT as "Better Rapid Transit" and repeated this BRT mantra:

 

"It's not a bus. It's not a train. It's the future.""

"The GCRTA itself launched a large scale branding campaign, which defined BRT as "Better Rapid Transit" and repeated this BRT mantra:

"It's not a bus. It's not a train. It's the future.""

 

This doesn't bode well for the future of our actual (rail) rapid transit system, does it?

I have to say even despite what RTA tweeted on Wednesday afternoon in regard to busses being behind, I took 3 busses (2 transfers) to get home and was only about 5 minutes late.

I have to say even despite what RTA tweeted on Wednesday afternoon in regard to busses being behind, I took 3 busses (2 transfers) to get home and was only about 5 minutes late.

 

GCRTA tweeted that because they're anti bus. :-P

why doesnt rta provide quarterly average weekday ridership numbers to apta for the ridership reports?

 

^That same question has been asked here several times over the years (it's a good one), but unfortunately, I believe this is the closest thing we've gotten to an answer:

 

I have been here since 2000, and I have never seen weekday data reported, unless there is a special ask, as in "how many people did we carry on St. Patrick's Day?"

 

Other than that, ridership is always reported by calendar month.

Wow. Another transit-related meeting invitation that gives parking directions but no transit directions. Oh the irony.

 

http://www.universitycircle.org/events/2014/03/little-italy-university-circle-rapid-station-construction-informational-meeting

 

Little Italy-University Circle Rapid Station Construction Informational Meeting March 20th @ 8:30am

 

Join Uptown Business Association members and guests, as we learn about the construction schedule for the new Little Italy-University Circle RTA rapid station. Learn about road closures, detours, and how you and your customers will manage through a year of construction. Representatives from the GCRTA and UCI  will be in attendance to provide an overview and address your questions and concerns.

 

Thursday, March 20, 2014, 8:30 a.m.

MOCA

11400 Euclid Ave

Cleveland, OH 44106

 

Coffee and Networking at 8:30. Program begins at 8:45

Please enter through the security door which is on the Mayfield side.

 

Parking is plentiful in surface parking lots off of Mayfield (behind Uptown and near the Marriott hotel, as well as at the Ford Rd. Garage)

 

The event is free but we request your RSVP HERE or call 216-707-5084 by March 17th.

From Twitter

 

"Red Line gets a safer, smoother & faster ride after June, when RTA completes a $3.1mil track upgrade from Kinsman to Cedar-University."

 

"Shaker Square drivers are in for a treat. RTA will spend $2.6 million to upgrade two grade crossings. Work starts in May or June."

 

"RTA will build a new station on the Green Line, at E 116th & Shaker Blvd. The design contract went to City Architecture today for $489,000."

The costs for the last two items on that list blow my mind.

Wow. Another transit-related meeting invitation that gives parking directions but no transit directions. Oh the irony.

 

You've got that right!

The costs for the last two items on that list blow my mind.

 

Why? Pretty standard stuff.

From Twitter

"RTA will build a new station on the Green Line, at E 116th & Shaker Blvd. The design contract went to City Architecture today for $489,000."

 

I think they meant the Blue and Green Lines, but I won't quibble... Actually I'm glad to see this station, like it's cousin at Lee & Van Aken, will be upgraded.  I hope it will be of the high quality of the planned Lee Rd. station.  This Buckeye area neighborhood deserves it.  It's just a shame that better TOD planning could have been engaged first (or maybe like ANY TOD planning).  The piss-poor, low density structures built adjacent to the station are truly appalling.  Even though this area has its share of run down structures it still has a ton of unrealized urban potential, particularly with the still intact, though somewhat tattered, commercial strip at/to the east of Buckeye & E.116.

 

Yes, we should have said the light-rail station at East 116.

We just recently started Tweeting from Board meetings...glad you are reading them,

^ The above invitation was NOT put out by RTA. Every notice that clears my desk ALWAYS has transit info, so please, do not generalize or finger-point. Thanks.

^ The above invitation was NOT put out by RTA. Every notice that clears my desk ALWAYS has transit info, so please, do not generalize or finger-point. Thanks.

 

The source of the meeting invitation is noted by the weblink I included. I don't think that constitutes a finger point, but it does deserve criticism as there are multiple ways to access the meeting site by transit (Red Line, HealthLine, #9 and #38 plus the 48/A and 58 are a couple blocks away). I recognize that you would have included this info had it been up to you, Jerry.

The costs for the last two items on that list blow my mind.

 

Why? Pretty standard stuff.

 

I'm sure you're right.  Just boggles my mind how expensive everything rail-related is.

I'm sure you're right.  Just boggles my mind how expensive everything rail-related is.

 

HL-related equipment's no Blue-Light special stuff, either.

Apply today if you are interested in serving on RTA's Citizens Adviosry Board. Here is the application:

http://www.riderta.com//sites/default/files/CAB/docs/CABApplication.pdf

KJP, I apologize, I was rushing through things, reacted and moved on. I need to slow down more.

Really bummed about the removal of the E 14th stop for the C-Line. It was really convenient for Hanna building residents. Is there a new stop on Prospect or does it just loop back around to Euclid?

 

Edit: I just rode and talked to the driver. The stop was moved to the south-east corner of Prospect and E 14th. I guess that's almost as convenient, though the stop is in the dark next to a parking lot across the street instead of in front of the well lit Hanna theater. Just doesn't feel as safe.

KJP, I apologize, I was rushing through things, reacted and moved on. I need to slow down more.

 

No apology necessary.

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/designreview/drcagenda/2014/03212014/index.php

 

CLEVELAND CITY PLANNING COMMISSION

Draft Agenda for March 21, 2014

 

EUCLID CORRIDOR DESIGN REVIEW

 

2. EC2014-009 - RTA Transit Station Redevelopment

Project Location: Mayfield Avenue and East 119th Street

Project Representatives: Paul Volpe, City Architecture

Joe Shaffer, GCRTA

Brian Temming, GCRTA

3. EC2014-010 - RTA Mayfield Road Streetscape

Project Location: Mayfield Road

Proejct Representatives: Matt Stevenson, City Architecture

Shelley Kiwala, Oscborn Engineering

 

Yes, we should have said the light-rail station at East 116.

 

Jerry, I'm glad to see the new station going in @ E.116.  Is there any initiative at RTA to step up TOD efforts generally, and particularly near E.116?  We know that immediately adjacent to the station is a TOD disaster, but there is potential in the neighborhood, esp toward Buckeye-E.116 corner.

Just in case you all missed this from last month......

 

Festival's economic impact climbs to more than $4 million

By MICHELLE PARK LAZETTE

4:30 am, February 22, 2014

 

Imagine this report were a documentary instead, filmed to illustrate the economic impact of the Cleveland International Film Festival. It might start with a close-up of the potato-crusted quiche at the J. Palen House bed and breakfast, where 11 of 12 rooms occupied on the weekends during last year's festival were booked by people headed to the annual event.

 

A wide shot of the Rapid traveling toward downtown might be next, as it's filled on average with thousands more riders, and a tracking shot following a server, juggling the demands of a larger-than-normal crowd, could reflect what many a restaurateur says is their reality during the 12-day festival.

 

....For the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, the impact was evident last year in a 13% increase in ridership on rail lines during the festival: 20,000 more passengers on its Red Line, compared to average ridership, and 6,600 more on its Blue and Green lines.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20140222/FILMMAIN/140319962/festivals-economic-impact-climbs-to-more-than-4-million

Say, how about connecting it to a Rapid station, or to the Gold Coast (perhaps the most densely populated square-mile in Ohio)?

 

Lakewood bars and restaurants hope to launch Saturday night RTA shuttle bus service

By Bruce Geiselman, Northeast Ohio Media Group

Email the author | Follow on Twitter

on March 22, 2014 at 10:30 AM, updated March 22, 2014 at 10:33 AM

 

LAKEWOOD, Ohio – A group of Lakewood bar and restaurant owners, with assistance from a city councilman, hopes to bring shuttle bus service to the city's business district along Detroit and Madison avenues Saturday nights.

 

The service would be free to riders, as the bar and restaurant owners would pick up the tab. The service would use the same green trolley-like buses the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority runs on several downtown routes.

 

The Lakewood weekend service is needed, business owners said, because of a lack of adequate parking for customers.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2014/03/lakewood_bars_and_restaurants.html

Say, how about connecting it to a Rapid station, or to the Gold Coast (perhaps the most densely populated square-mile in Ohio)?

 

Absolutely.  The Detroit and Madison shuttles should extend all the way to the W. Blvd and W. 117 Rapid stations, respectively.  The current routing not only ignores the Rapid and the Gold Coast, but misses entertainment areas along Detroit just inside Cleveland, W. 117 & Clifton, as well as the clubs east along Clifton all the way to Don's Lghthouse at Clifton/Lake.  I understand this being a Lakewood-oriented service, but if the owners truly want to encourage car-free restaurant/bar hopping to the extent everybody wins, you'd hope they wouldn't be provincial with service limited to within Lakewood's borders (eww Cleveland!) - and then, within certain boundaries inside Lakewood on top of that.

Just in case you all missed this from last month......

 

Festival's economic impact climbs to more than $4 million

By MICHELLE PARK LAZETTE

4:30 am, February 22, 2014

 

Imagine this report were a documentary instead, filmed to illustrate the economic impact of the Cleveland International Film Festival. It might start with a close-up of the potato-crusted quiche at the J. Palen House bed and breakfast, where 11 of 12 rooms occupied on the weekends during last year's festival were booked by people headed to the annual event.

 

A wide shot of the Rapid traveling toward downtown might be next, as it's filled on average with thousands more riders, and a tracking shot following a server, juggling the demands of a larger-than-normal crowd, could reflect what many a restaurateur says is their reality during the 12-day festival.

 

....For the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, the impact was evident last year in a 13% increase in ridership on rail lines during the festival: 20,000 more passengers on its Red Line, compared to average ridership, and 6,600 more on its Blue and Green lines.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20140222/FILMMAIN/140319962/festivals-economic-impact-climbs-to-more-than-4-million

 

We look forward to riding the Rapid to TC and CIFF.  Hopefully downtowners & West Siders will hop the Blue/Green Lines to films showing at the Shaker Square Cinemas.  CIFF has really been playing up the Rapid in recent years... Remember a few years ago when tone-deaf RTA decided to shut down the Blue & Green Lines for their annual track-work during the CIFF forcing festival goers to ride shuttle buses to Public Square? (I was among the fuming throngs).  Let's hope RTA learned its lesson and never allows such a ham-handed/cold-hearted conflict in the future.  The film festivals gotten too big and grown too transit dependent for this to (logically) ever happen again.

RTA should implement some sort of Family pass where $10 gets you an all day pass that is good for four people. It could be good all the time, or it could just be good weeknights and all day during the weekends. Currently the cost of transit forces families to drive. What family is going to spend $20 to drive to the train station, take the longer trip downtown, and then walk a decent distance to their destination? Especially when driving can get you much closer to your destination, at a much quicker time, and at half the cost? At $10, families might be much more likely to take the train.

RTA should implement some sort of Family pass where $10 gets you an all day pass that is good for four people. It could be good all the time, or it could just be good weeknights and all day during the weekends. Currently the cost of transit forces families to drive. What family is going to spend $20 to drive to the train station, take the longer trip downtown, and then walk a decent distance to their destination? Especially when driving can get you much closer to your destination, at a much quicker time, and at half the cost? At $10, families might be much more likely to take the train.

 

I agree something should be done to lower the cost of transit for families.

Can anyone tell me if there is still a scheduled bus stop for the westbound #7 at the corner of Coventry and Hampshire Rd? The circular RTA stop sign disappeared some time back; but there is still a Cleveland Heights sign referring to a bus stop, and the drivers will usually stop for you there if they see you. Thanks.

RTA should implement some sort of Family pass where $10 gets you an all day pass that is good for four people. It could be good all the time, or it could just be good weeknights and all day during the weekends. Currently the cost of transit forces families to drive. What family is going to spend $20 to drive to the train station, take the longer trip downtown, and then walk a decent distance to their destination? Especially when driving can get you much closer to your destination, at a much quicker time, and at half the cost? At $10, families might be much more likely to take the train.

 

I agree something should be done to lower the cost of transit for families.

 

I 2nd this idea.  I'm pretty sure some other cities already have this.

Can anyone tell me if there is still a scheduled bus stop for the westbound #7 at the corner of Coventry and Hampshire Rd? The circular RTA stop sign disappeared some time back; but there is still a Cleveland Heights sign referring to a bus stop, and the drivers will usually stop for you there if they see you. Thanks.

 

Without boring you with the gory details of how I confirmed it, I can say yes, there is a stop there. I will try to investigate why the target sign was removed and will let you know.

Any reason why RTA has the 40 ft busses running as healthlines?

Any reason why RTA has the 40 ft busses running as healthlines?

 

Excellent question.

I think the brt vehicles are breaking down so they temporarily use a normal bus to replace a broken bus.

I think the brt vehicles are breaking down so they temporarily use a normal bus to replace a broken bus.

Sounds as if new BRT busses are needed already.