The really count the BRT as rapid transit? That should confuse tourists...

 

Of course they do.....

Before I die, I want to see light rail at or around where the Cleveland state line goes. I think light rail parallel to Detroit and Clifton through Detroit shore way, Edgewater, Lakewood and river would be the most heavily trafficked line.

The really count the BRT as rapid transit? That should confuse tourists...

 

FWIW, the Silver Lines in Boston, which for the most part are as BRT-y as the CSU line, are also on their system maps alongside the LR and HR lines.

With the new Little Italy-Univ. Circle station now open, will RTA now terminate the #9 Mayfield bus there?  It seems superfluous, and gas-wasting, to continue with the current wrap-around route back-tracking to the University-Cedar station now that bus riders can now access the Rapid at the bottom of the hill in Little Italy.

 

Well there is much more to life than catching the rapid, lol.  Stopping the 9 at the LI station would make connections to the Health Line with all its access to Midtown and CSU related destinations much harder, not to mention Cleveland Clinic.  From the Heights/Hillcrest area, the rapid is relatively useless, unless your destination is downtown relatively near the Square or further west like OC/WSM or the airport.  It's bad enough that RTA decimated through bus services to/from Heights/Hillcrest to downtown (even as westsiders have access to such services).  Don't snip my bus line any further!  Don't sacrifice rider convenience to prop up underutilized rail services.

The really count the BRT as rapid transit? That should confuse tourists...

 

FWIW, the Silver Lines in Boston, which for the most part are as BRT-y as the CSU line, are also on their system maps alongside the LR and HR lines.

BRT is not rapid transit, especially when the healthline takes around 40 minutes to get from downtown to widermere vs. 17-20 for the Red Line.

With the new Little Italy-Univ. Circle station now open, will RTA now terminate the #9 Mayfield bus there?  It seems superfluous, and gas-wasting, to continue with the current wrap-around route back-tracking to the University-Cedar station now that bus riders can now access the Rapid at the bottom of the hill in Little Italy.

 

Well there is much more to life than catching the rapid, lol.  Stopping the 9 at the LI station would make connections to the Health Line with all its access to Midtown and CSU related destinations much harder, not to mention Cleveland Clinic.  From the Heights/Hillcrest area, the rapid is relatively useless, unless your destination is downtown relatively near the Square or further west like OC/WSM or the airport.  It's bad enough that RTA decimated through bus services to/from Heights/Hillcrest to downtown (even as westsiders have access to such services).  Don't snip my bus line any further!  Don't sacrifice rider convenience to prop up underutilized rail services.

 

I agree that ending the 9 at Mayfield station would be ridiculous, partly because a new turnaround facility of some kind would be needed to make that even possible, but mostly because the 9's connection to the Health Line is essential, especially since RTA has eliminated all direct service from Cleveland Heights to downtown Cleveland.

^Yep. If anything, the 9 should be extended into the Clinic campus the way the other Heights routes are.

 

Forget the semantics of what "rapid transit" means, the funny thing about that map posted by TPH2 is that the inclusion of the  CSU Line and Health Line conveys pretty much zero information. What's the point of showing transit lines on the map if you don't show any station locations or transfer points?  I also love how the map suggests the CSU line terminates in the Flats. And that the HL does't terminate at Public Square.

 

Between the information and the design, that has to be one of the absolute worst transit maps I've seen in a long time. I hope that's not what's going to be posted system-wide.

^ You hit the nail on the head, StrapHanger[/member]. Also, I'm not opposed to including the HealthLine and CSU Line in theory, but they should at the very least indicate that those lines are BUS rapid transit. Not to mention the continuation of including "transfer" stations on the map between the light rail and heavy rail, yet having a totally antiquated fare collection system that makes transferring between lines less than seamless (had to throw that rant in there again).

 

Unfortunately, it sounds like this is the map that will be going up system wide (eventually).

I can see extending the #9 to Euclid to connect with the HL, but no further -- RTA should plan for some kind of loop-back in/around Euclid/Mayfield/Ford Rd.  In the good old days when gas was plentiful and cheap, the #9 and most #32s went all the way downtown.  But times have changed and Joe Calabrese, understandably, constantly squawks about both high diesel fuel prices and the lack of financial support from the State.  So when the HL was built, RTA began cutting off the downtown runs, which makes sense given the high-capacity, higher speed and greater frequency of the HL -- not to mention the tremendous time and expense it took to build the HL.  They curled the #9 back to the University Circle Rapid stop so that, for the 1st time, the #9 had a Red Line connection -- note: it doesn't even extend to the Clinic in its current configuration. 

 

I'm sure you've all seen the rush-hour snarls along Euclid from Uptown to at least E. 107.  It makes little sense to clog that corridor even more with #9 buses if it interfaces with 2 forms of rapid transit, especially given the high fuel costs and even more especially now that the #9 now, finally, directly feeds Red Line at the new station on Mayfield.  The #9 used to be one of the heavier suburban bus routes; it's certainly among the longest non-freeway routes in terms of the distance of its termination point from Public Sq.  I'll bet the bulk of its long-haul commuters either are heading to downtown, UC/UH or the Clinic.  Those headed to PHS or CSU can hop the Red Line for a quick 13-14 minute ride to Public Sq where they can either walk or hop the HL for a short ride to finish their trips.

I know the Clinic wouldn't allow it in a million years, but given current commuting patterns, seems like there should be a small Heights bus terminal somewhere on Euclid in the Clinic area that serves the 7, 9, 32, 48, and 58.  Or at least an enhanced waiting area in close proximity to a HL station.

 

And ugh, I forgot RTA is weirdly unable to update its system-wide map more than once or twice a year, so this guy is going to have all sorts of wrong info for god knows how long, including the old 120th St Red Line station: http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/pdf/maps/System_Map_Main.pdf

 

[Edited for typos]

I know the Clinic wouldn't allow it in a million years, but given current commuting patterns, seems like there should be a small Heights bus terminal somewhere on Euclid in the Clinic area that serves the 7, 9, 32, 48, and 58.  Or at least an enhanced waiting area in close proximity to a HL station.

 

Technically there is. The glassy area on the ground floor of the big parking deck at East 93rd and Euclid is considered an intermodal transportation center. It was funded by a federal grant titled "University Circle intermodal transit center" or something to that effect. So that's why the east side buses like the #7, #32 and #48 go there before turning back east.

http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/pdf/maps/System_map_U-Circle.pdf

The really count the BRT as rapid transit? That should confuse tourists...

 

Of course they do.....

 

I do think that RTA should distinguish between rail and bus rapid transit.  To most people, esp riders, they are not comparable.

^^As far as I can tell, that was just a gimmick to funnel a $7M earmark to the Clinic's garage project. It's certainly not operated like a bus terminal. Would be interesting to research if there were any programmatic strings on using the money.

^Yep. If anything, the 9 should be extended into the Clinic campus the way the other Heights routes are.

 

Forget the semantics of what "rapid transit" means, the funny thing about that map posted by TPH2 is that the inclusion of the  CSU Line and Health Line conveys pretty much zero information. What's the point of showing transit lines on the map if you don't show any station locations or transfer points?  I also love how the map suggests the CSU line terminates in the Flats. And that the HL does't terminate at Public Square.

 

Between the information and the design, that has to be one of the absolute worst transit maps I've seen in a long time. I hope that's not what's going to be posted system-wide.

 

The map is also sloppy.  It lists Lee Road-Van Aken as having free parking while listing Warrensville-Shaker Blvd as not having any... both are obviously wrong.

The map is also sloppy.  It lists Lee Road-Van Aken as having free parking while listing Warrensville-Shaker Blvd as not having any... both are obviously wrong.

 

Wow. That's not good. Surprising considering their existing map on their website has the correct information. It's not that hard for their map/artist to find....

 

http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/pdf/maps/System_Map_Rapid_Connect.pdf

^Until yesterday's new station opening, the existing map was perfectly fine... I suspect this new one was a rush job to coincide with the opening.  It'll be edited, I'm sure.

 

btw, I don't have a major problem with having the BRT on the map, esp as they are shown on the map (although having the HL as going NE/SW is a little goofy that doesn't even roughly comport with how the line really runs geographically). The way the map depicts BRT, there are no station stops listed, and the CSU-West Side route only points to the ends of the line, so it's not listed in near the detail as the regular Rapid. And it's true, Boston's MBTA, where the rail system is huge and heavily trafficked, lists the Silver Line BRT on maps of The T subway routes.  I just think BRT and rail shouldn't be listed with no distinction.  Both this new RTA Rapid map and RTA's 2014 system maps, in the narrative explaining services, makes no distinction between Red, Blue, Green and WFL and the BRT lines in terms of rail or bus, and that's not right imho.

^ Right, but I think it's also important to distinguish between the HealthLine and the CSU Line. The map basically indicates that they are the same, but that is far from accurate. The HealthLine is much closer to being a fully integrated part of the "Rapid Transit System" than the CSU line, which functions more like a regular bus, just with some nice extra additions.

An entire cottage industry in the re-sale of used but still valid day passes has cropped up at various Redline stations.  I first noticed it a few months ago, but it seems I cannot board at Brookpark anymore without someone asking me if I need a pass or have one to sell.  Two different guys came up to me this evening.  I just ignore them and go to the ticket machine.  I would guess it's happening on other lines as well. 

 

Also... rode from Brook Park to the new Little Italy station this evening for dinner.  The new station is very nice.  It enhances the neighborhood quite nicely. 

 

 

 

:wtf:

 

Some new pics of the new Little Italy stations and surroundings.

^^New York eliminated its one day metro card for that reason. I doubt the money at stake is big, but RTA may want to think about replacing its day pass with a two-trip card (with transfer privileges, like the 5-trip card).

 

Also, while it's true the MBTA does show its BRT routes on its subway maps, unlike that awful RTA map, the information is actually useful. Station locations are shown, transfer opportunities are highlighted, and other key bus lines are also shown: http://www.mbta.com/images/subway-spider.jpg.  That map was the product of a design competition, and its quality reflects it.  I realize RTA can't show every BRT station location given that it larded the HealthLine line with non-RT station frequency, but it could at least show route terminuses, key destinations, and transfer locations.

 

RTA could also update its on-line route diagrams to show the location of the new Mayfield Station. For such a rudimetary map, there's zero reason why this shouldn't have been done last week. http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/pdf/maps/System_Map_Rapid_Connect.pdf

I'll post some pictures from the ribbon cutting in the RTA construction thread, but I thought I'd put this picture here:

 

 

Superimpose that on a map of the entire service area and the impression is a bit different.  I don't have the time, but this will illustrate the point.  The circles are the airport and Van Aken, the southernmost points.

 

So in other words the rapid transit system covers most of the developed metro area that existed when the rail system was built. Want more? Pay more. How much? A half cent of additional sales tax or other source that provides about $75 million to $100 million per year for about 20 years would provide GCRTA with the capital financing expand AND to adopt Laketran's funding solution to sustain the operating costs: https://laketran.com/news/laketran-gm-proposes-state-transportation-fund-for-infrastructure-improvements/

 

Cross-posted in the AAO thread....

 

Summer Outing 2015 (Cleveland rail & TOD tour) photo gallery:

August 17, 2015 | Author: kjprendergast

 

On Aug. 15, 40 members participated in All Aboard Ohio’s 2015 Summer Meeting & Family Outing, which was a guided tour of Cleveland’s 37-mile rail transit system, including several transit-oriented developments. Thanks again to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) for sponsoring this tour which attracted visitors from around Ohio.

 

Attendees were provided with a packet which included an GCRTA all-day pass and a presentation of selected real estate developments and transit projects (10mb download) along the tour. The tour started at All Aboard Ohio’s office at Tower City Center (former Cleveland Union Terminal), then rode the Waterfront Line round trip, Blue Line to Warrensville and return west to East 55th, Red Line east to the new Little Italy station, and west to Hopkins International Airport. The last part included a race between the Red Line train and the HealthLine BRT bus to Tower City, which the train easily won (the bus had 70 blocks to go as the train arrived Tower City!). Attendees returned from the airport on the Red Line to Tower City after a busy fun day.

 

MORE:

http://allaboardohio.org/2015/08/17/summer-outing-2015-cleveland-rail-tod-tour-photos/

 

 

Here's a few pics from the tour....

 

 

 

So as I was riding the WFL this weekend with the AAO tour (first time I've actually ridden it in years), I had a thought cross my mind about the fare structure for the line. Forgive me if this has been discussed here before, but has there ever been thought of making the Waterfront Line a "fare free zone?" I've experienced this in Pittsburgh as there is no fare to ride the T between the various downtown stations. If someone is at FEB and wants to get to North Coast Harbor, the easiest way to do that is to hop on the Waterfront Line and go to the West 3rd or North Coast stations. However, that seems like a much less attractive idea if you have to pay $2.25 (or $4.50 if you want to go back) to get there--not to mention that the fare collection system on the light rail is confusing as hell, as we all know. Thoughts?

Since the opening of the North Shore extension, I've ridden the Pittsburgh T from North Shore to the last station downtown (First Avenue) so I didn't get to see how they charge fares for the fare-paid portion south of downtown. Looks like they do it in the opposite manner of our Blue & Green Lines -- for trains inbound to the city, Pittsburgh collects fares when boarding trains; for trains outbound from the city, they collect fares when leaving the train.

 

That wouldn't work at Tower City, as persons getting off the Waterfront Line have to pass through the turnstiles and you have to have valid RTA fare media to get through the turnstiles.

 

Even if RTA made the Blue/Green lines proof-of-payment and installed fare machines on the trains and at the busiest stations on the Blue/Green lines, how do you deal with the turnstiles at Tower City? Unless RTA gets rid of them.

 

If I was king of all Cuyahoga County, I'd add a countywide payroll tax to afford eliminating RTA fares entirely and make all of its buses and trains free. Right now, RTA gets $50 million per year, or less than 25 percent of its funding, from passenger fares. I'd like to get $70 million per year to afford some expansion and more capital improvements. There are 700,000 people in the Cuyahoga County labor force and about 90 percent are employed, or 630,000 people. The per capita income in Cuyahoga County is just over $26,000, or $1,083 every two weeks (the paycheck). There are $682.3 million worth of paychecks paid every two weeks in Cuyahoga County or $18 billion per year. To get $70 million from that, we'd have to get $258.30 in taxes from each employee each year, or $9.74 per paycheck. That's a payroll tax of just under 1 percent to have a fare-free transit system in Cuyahoga County. And it would be a transit system that's brought up to a state of good repair and can afford some expansion. Plus RTA saves the cost of fare collection (likely in the millions of dollars per year). Plus RTA saves the time of fare collection so its buses run much faster (AAO did a study a few years ago and found that RTA buses were delayed more by fare collection than by traffic lights). Some of RTA's police force can be reassigned from enforcing proof-of-payment on the Red Line and HealthLine. Plus I would convert GCRTA from one-shop operation (operations, maintenance, capital construction planning, taxing authority) into one where it contracts out bus and rail operations on a competitive, merit basis. It already does this with capital construction projects and some maintenance. With some modest expansion, Cuyahoga County's employment numbers should increase, thus making it possible for revenue to afford more expansion and capital improvements. Most riders already use RTA to get to work, so the payroll tax would be about as close to a user fee as possible without charging people for each ride.

 

How's that for a crazy idea??

^That's an awesome idea but I can't ever see that passing.  Too many people would say they do not ride RTA and therefore do not want to subsidize other people's rides.  Look at the contempt people with no kids show towards paying for education, an equally if not more important community benefit than public transit. 

 

However I do think there could be a structure similar to the T in Pittsburgh here.  I lived there for 7 years and it was great being able to go anywhere downtown on any bus or train and not pay (I don't know if that's still true of buses, but it's good to hear it's still true for the T).  It would be great if you could ride any bus or train for free from East 30th to West 25th, and that seems doable.

That wouldn't work at Tower City, as persons getting off the Waterfront Line have to pass through the turnstiles and you have to have valid RTA fare media to get through the turnstiles.

 

Even if RTA made the Blue/Green lines proof-of-payment and installed fare machines on the trains and at the busiest stations on the Blue/Green lines, how do you deal with the turnstiles at Tower City? Unless RTA gets rid of them.

 

Actually, I think that problem could be solved by physically separating the westbound and eastbound platforms of the Light Rail area. Passengers exiting the east-bound light rail passengers would no longer need to provide fare media to exit the turnstiles. Passengers entering the west bound (WFL) would not have to show fare media. Passengers doing the opposite would, though. The one hitch is the center platform, but I think that could be addressed easily enough by discharging and loading only from the appropriate side of the vehicles.

 

Without POP, the overall LRT payment routine would need to be reversed to be like the one in Pittsburgh, with passengers east of Tower City paying as they enter westbound, and paying as they exit eastbound. That would probably slow train operations, which means it may not be worth it at this point. If there is an eventual conversion to POP, though, I don't see why this couldn't work pretty well. Tower City would still effectively verify the fares of commuters exiting and entering there. The only leakage would be cheaters taking through-trips, but sporadic enforcement of people staying on the trains in TC might be enough to cut down on those.

 

In any case, even if it's not on the WFL, i think a downtown fare free zone on the HL makes a lot of sense. It's already pure POP, and given the free trolleys, I doubt a lot of passengers are currently paying to take the HL within downtown now anyway. I could be wrong about that, though.

Nothing that we all don't already know, but glad to see the press:

 

RTA needs to find $254 million to bring entire network to state of good repair

 

By Alison Grant, The Plain Dealer

Email the author | Follow on Twitter

on August 18, 2015 at 3:12 PM, updated August 18, 2015 at 3:28 PM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has $254 million in unfunded projects that are needed to restore all corners of its bus and rail network to good condition.

 

The stark math of the shortfall was set forth Tuesday as RTA trustees approved the agency's 2016 budget for infrastructure investments and took a five-year look at its needs through 2020.

 

RTA has identified federal, state and local sources for $338 million in improvements over the next five years, though $100 million of that will be for simply maintaining buses, trains and track.

 

Read more

Seems like it could be a lot worse? 

 

Hopefully there will be some leadership in this country over the next 4 years willing to spend money on things for Americans, like bridges and transit.

So $590 million worth of state-of-good-repair needs identified, $338 million in funding found, and another $254 million yet to be found? Sounds about right.

Beyond Downtown, Cleveland’s RTA Rebuild Spurring New Development

BY JACOB D. FESSLER ― AUGUST 21, 2015

 

Amidst further positive national news for upgraded Midwestern rail service, All Aboard Ohio met in Cleveland for their summer meet-up. At the weekend-long gathering, the group toured the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s numerous heavy rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit lines.

 

Often unknown to outsiders, the Cleveland area boasts some 39 miles of rail transit, with daily ridership of over 53,000. As a result, Cleveland’s transit ridership dwarfs that of both Cincinnati and Columbus. Even though Cleveland is approximately the same size as Cincinnati and Columbus, its transit ridership is bigger than both of them combined.

 

In addition, All Aboard Ohio president Ken Prendergrast led the tour and showcased the substantial amount of transit-oriented development that is taking place throughout Cleveland.

 

MORE:

http://www.urbancincy.com/2015/08/beyond-downtown-clevelands-rta-rebuild-spurring-new-development/

^Nice write up, but I think they got some details confused. I might be reading it wrong, but it seems like the author thinks that the Blue line serves University Circle.

I don't understand why the maps on the rapid cars have still not been updated to reflect the new station at LI-UC. They had known that was coming for years and it's not exactly a big capital expense. You'd think they would've had new maps ready to go and could easily have replaced them all within days of the new station opening.

^They haven't even updated the on-line rapid map: http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/pdf/maps/System_Map_Rapid_Connect.pdf

"L-Line service will be discontinued after Sept. 7. Customers heading for Lakefront attractions can ride the Waterfront Line."

 

http://www.riderta.com/routes/l-line

I don't understand why the maps on the rapid cars have still not been updated to reflect the new station at LI-UC. They had known that was coming for years and it's not exactly a big capital expense. You'd think they would've had new maps ready to go and could easily have replaced them all within days of the new station opening.

 

Unfortunately, expect to see the Red Line station, Euclid-E.120 on many maps for a long time to come... years, probably.  Updating maps has been an ongoing problem.  I swear, not more than 4 years ago (and maybe much less), I was on a Red Line car to Ohio City that actually had a pre-Waterfront line (as in, no Waterfront line at all) map above the door... Mind you, next year, the Waterfront Line will celebrate it's 20th anniversary, so yeah, do the math...  It's a sad state of affairs, but whatareyougonnado?

^They haven't even updated the on-line rapid map: http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/pdf/maps/System_Map_Rapid_Connect.pdf

 

We have now ;-). You're welcome.

 

Physical infrastructure may take a bit longer, but rest assured they will be updated in due time. We wouldn't have wanted to place an updated map out there prematurely, lest we be delayed in the station opening and be referencing a station not ready to receive customers. For those who think this unlikely, know that the occupancy permit for that station was received only hours before the ribbon-cutting.

^Excellent!  Might not be under your control, JeT, but I'd also strongly encourage you and RTA to revisit the design of that rapid map to make it more useful. Specifically, the way the BRT lines are depicted is utterly bizarre.  At the very least, the map needs to make clear that the two BRT routes serve Public Square.

^They haven't even updated the on-line rapid map: http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/pdf/maps/System_Map_Rapid_Connect.pdf

 

We have now ;-). You're welcome.

 

Physical infrastructure may take a bit longer, but rest assured they will be updated in due time. We wouldn't have wanted to place an updated map out there prematurely, lest we be delayed in the station opening and be referencing a station not ready to receive customers. For those who think this unlikely, know that the occupancy permit for that station was received only hours before the ribbon-cutting.

 

I checked RTA's website, and the same older maps are there; no update. 

^The "Rapid Transit System Map" linked to on the RTA "Maps" website is indeed updated: http://www.riderta.com/maps

 

Regrettably, RTA only updates its more detailed systemwide and UC and Downtown maps once or twice a year, so those are not updated.

 

Also, I know it's not in RTA's direct control, but maybe RTA can nag google to update it's transit station locations: https://www.google.com/maps/place/University+Circle,+Cleveland,+OH/@41.5099654,-81.5967628,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8830fb888c118475:0x8bcf757c0a61f406

Beyond Downtown, Cleveland’s RTA Rebuild Spurring New Development

BY JACOB D. FESSLER ― AUGUST 21, 2015

 

Amidst further positive national news for upgraded Midwestern rail service, All Aboard Ohio met in Cleveland for their summer meet-up. At the weekend-long gathering, the group toured the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s numerous heavy rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit lines.

 

Often unknown to outsiders, the Cleveland area boasts some 39 miles of rail transit, with daily ridership of over 53,000. As a result, Cleveland’s transit ridership dwarfs that of both Cincinnati and Columbus. Even though Cleveland is approximately the same size as Cincinnati and Columbus, its transit ridership is bigger than both of them combined.

 

In addition, All Aboard Ohio president Ken Prendergrast led the tour and showcased the substantial amount of transit-oriented development that is taking place throughout Cleveland.

 

MORE:

http://www.urbancincy.com/2015/08/beyond-downtown-clevelands-rta-rebuild-spurring-new-development/

 

The Rapid is posting 53,000 rides per day!?  I would have pegged the combined usage at 40,000-42,000 (HRT about 28K, LRT about 12K)... 53,000 is a very high/positive number for RTA rail.  It surprises me, esp given all the shutdowns.

^Excellent!  Might not be under your control, JeT, but I'd also strongly encourage you and RTA to revisit the design of that rapid map to make it more useful. Specifically, the way the BRT lines are depicted is utterly bizarre.  At the very least, the map needs to make clear that the two BRT routes serve Public Square.

 

Agreed. At least they are now designated on the map with "These routes operate on the roadway." And the issues with the incorrect parking designations have been fixed. However, the Red Line was scaled down significantly for some reason. I know transit maps are not supposed to be to scale necessarily, but this map looks like it's a map for the Blue and Green Lines, with the Red Line being a secondary focus. Also, is it just my eyes, or are the station names randomly different sizes (e.g. "W. 117th-Madison" vs."Triskett")?

 

Sorry for being annoying and nitpicky.

^The "Rapid Transit System Map" linked to on the RTA "Maps" website is indeed updated: http://www.riderta.com/maps

 

Regrettably, RTA only updates its more detailed systemwide and UC and Downtown maps once or twice a year, so those are not updated.

 

Also, I know it's not in RTA's direct control, but maybe RTA can nag google to update it's transit station locations: https://www.google.com/maps/place/University+Circle,+Cleveland,+OH/@41.5099654,-81.5967628,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8830fb888c118475:0x8bcf757c0a61f406

 

Maybe it's my computer, but I'm still not seeing any update to the Rapid maps -- both the Rapid and system maps still look the same and list the Euclid-E. 120 station as they have been...

 

As for Google, it really would be nice if they improved Cleveland's transit map.  Not only is the Red Line is depicted in gray, the Blue, Green and WFL aren't listed at all (just their station stops).  Contrast Boston, where all the rail lines, HRT and LRT are highlighted and in their proper colors.  Seems Cleveland got the back of the hand treatment from Google in this regard.

JeTDoG[/member], looks like the HealthLine route diagram also needs a minor update to reflect the rapid station change.

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces $9.5 Million in Workforce Development Grants to Promote Careers in Transit, Ladders of Opportunity

LOS ANGELES – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced $9.5 million in grants to 19 projects in 13 states selected to help train a new generation of skilled workers and support long-term careers in the public transportation industry. The announcement was made at the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College (LATTC), and the grants are provided through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Innovative Public Transportation Workforce Development program.

 

“The public transit industry offers good-paying careers that can lift Americans into the middle class or help them stay there, and more of these careers will be available in the future,” said Secretary Foxx. “These grants will help us overcome skills gaps and provide more young people with the training, apprenticeships, and educational opportunities they need to gain entry into these careers.”

 

Yesterday, the U.S. Departments of Transportation, Education, and Labor today released a joint report entitled “Strengthening Skills Training and Career Pathways across the Transportation Industry.” The report details the future growth areas or employment “hot spots” in transportation by industry subsectors, occupations, career areas, and geographic areas.

 

Secretary Foxx was joined by FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan, executives from LATTC, Community Career Development, Inc. (CCD), the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), and state and local officials. Students from LATTC’s Transportation Technologies program were also on hand to speak about their experiences and demonstrate the skills they have learned at LATTC.

 

“The demand for skilled transit workers will continue to grow as new projects are planned, built, and come on line and as ridership continues to expand in cities like Los Angeles and other communities across the country,” said FTA Acting Administrator McMillan. “And we are committed to making careers in transit a real ladder to opportunity by helping provide education and financial security, especially for those in disadvantaged communities.”

 

Two organizations in Los Angeles were selected in this latest round of FTA workforce development grants: LATTC will receive funding to establish the Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology Training – the first program of its kind in a community college in the country; and CCD will receive funding for its Moving Employees into Transit Related Opportunities (METRO) program, which will partner with organizations like LA Valley College to recruit and train low-income individuals, women, veterans, minorities, and others from communities throughout Metropolitan Los Angeles.

 

FTA’s workforce development projects will develop or expand strategic partnerships with transit agencies, labor unions, nonprofits, and academic institutions, and some will also support small businesses in the transit sector owned by women and minorities. In addition, several projects will serve as scalable models that can be applied to future projects throughout the United States.

Among the projects selected nationwide:

• The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) will receive funding for the Career Pathways Program, which will address all aspects of the transit workforce by leveraging partnerships with Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland State University, and El Barrio Workforce Development Center.
  
• Intercity Transit in Olympia, WA, will receive funding for its innovative Village Vans program, which aims to serve as a national model for rural transit agencies with large service areas. Like many rural agencies, Intercity Transit relies on volunteer drivers to meet its operational needs, and Village Vans provides volunteers free workforce training that prepares them for potential employment with Intercity Transit or other positions related to vehicle operations.
  
• The Grand Gateway Economic Development Association in Northeast Oklahoma will receive funding to establish the N2N Automotive University. This program will identify and train participants, including those from impoverished Native American communities, in automotive repair skills that can be applied to transit vehicles as well as a range of automotive careers. This project will use an innovative Nation-to-Nation (N2N) recruitment strategy.
  

Eligible applicants included public transportation providers at the state, local, and regional level, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Native American tribes, non-profit institutions, and institutions of higher education. A list of selected projects is available online.

 

Demand for FTA’s workforce grants far exceeded available funds, as FTA received a total of 50 applications requesting over $27 million. The Obama Administration’s GROW AMERICA Act would provide $478 billion over the next six years to help build the transportation workforce of the future, providing consistent long-term funding for transportation and infrastructure.

 

These grants come at a crucial time in the transportation industry. According to the Strengthening Skills Training report, employers will need to hire and train a total of 4.6 million new workers – 1.2 times the current transportation workforce – due to expected growth, retirements, and turnover in the transportation industry from 2012 to 2022.

 

It is projected that 417,000 of these positions will be created as a direct result to increased demand on our transportation systems, and the highest percentage of these jobs will be in transit and ground passenger transportation.

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Greater Cleve RTA ‏@GCRTA  4h4 hours ago

Crime is down at RTA according to new reports. See Board Committee meeting highlights here:

http://www.riderta.com/news/sept-1-2015-highlights-todays-rta-board-committee-meetings

An entire cottage industry in the re-sale of used but still valid day passes has cropped up at various Redline stations.  I first noticed it a few months ago, but it seems I cannot board at Brookpark anymore without someone asking me if I need a pass or have one to sell.  Two different guys came up to me this evening.  I just ignore them and go to the ticket machine.  I would guess it's happening on other lines as well. 

 

Also... rode from Brook Park to the new Little Italy station this evening for dinner.  The new station is very nice.  It enhances the neighborhood quite nicely. 

 

 

 

 

I'm reporting your tip to Transit Police internally. I'm not sure if you have already, but I haven't heard anything about it before. Thanks for the heads up.

^^Always a couple guys working W 117th as well. 

 

They aren't super aggressive and generally friendly, but I assume occasionally a passenger gets burned on an expired trip.

A couple of pics while waiting for the #55/ClevelandStateLine on Superior just east of Public Square....

 

Cleveland-SuperiorAve-buses-Sept2015-1 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

Cleveland-SuperiorAve-buses-Sept2015-2 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

Went to check out Flats East Bank last night and every venue open was jam packed (this includes the older Phase I Aloft venues as well as the newer Phase II spots, including the newest one, Crop Stix).  It honestly reminded me of the good old Flats days of the 1990s ... including the traffic jams.  One limo driver complained that it took him over an hour to get from Ohio City to the Aloft -- perhaps an exaggeration, but with the jammed nature of traffic along E. 11th and Front Streets, one could believe him...

 

It just made me think how great it would be if people started using the Waterfront Line like they did on weekends during the old Flats heyday.  So far, both Aloft's management and it's guests totally ignore the WFL (with the Aloft even running parallel shuttles to Tribe and Cavs' games).  I was really glad RTA reinstituted 7-day/week WFL service 2 years ago when Phase I opened.  Unfortunately WFL trains stop at 10:30p every night.  RTA should really consider the late-running weekend service (until 2p) instituted during summers in the late 1990s.  If last night's jammed situation happened with only some of the Phase II apartments and venues online (Note: the huge Punch Bowl Social is still finishing construction), imagine what traffic will be like when Phase II is fully open, not to mention Phase III which may start digging before the end of the year.