Looking closely, this one looks like it might be Japan or Korea.

 

Look at the overhead signs in particular.

RTA needs to upgrade its marketing and approach advertising differently.

 

Since you're already a transit user, you might not be the best person to ask this of, but HOW, exactly, should that marketing be "upgraded", or "approached differently"? I'd be curious to hear specifics.

 

There's lots of good, super creative filmmakers in town. You should hold a contest where filmmakers create a 30 second piece on how convenient it is to use RTA and how to use the fare machines. Anything to get non-riders more familiar with the process will help. Trust me. These short clips will be all over Youtube and Facebook in no time.

 

And, as KJP and I have mentioned multiple times, using media to show the RTA working on its infrastructure. Need to tweet out about a slow zone? Great, include a picture or short video of the tracks and why it's a slow zone. Part of the rail line is closed because of track work? Fine, but have some media to accompany the announcement so riders know why they're being inconvenienced. Trains or buses are delayed because of ice or other weather event? Show a short video as to how this impacts vehicles. People tend to be a lot less upset about service disruptions when they know why it's happening as well as being reassured that RTA is taking steps to improve things. You can say so in press releases all you want, but paragraphs of words have much less of an impact than pictures and videos.

I like it. And to be even more practical, a photo accompanying a tweet gets noticed more than just a text tweet.

I think those suggestions are good for PR purposes for existing riders, so you don't lose them, but in terms of attracting new ones, yeah, I think some videos that show real people using the services to attend a variety of things, and a mix of people, not just workers going to/from work but families, young people going to concerts or sporting events, people going to/from the airport, people with purchases made at Shaker Square farmers market or what have you, that would be great. But if you hire actors and make it a promotional video, all the comments are going to be about how this isn't what the real makeup of transit riders are. The myth needs to be dispelled that only poor people with no other choice take RTA. It needs to be shown as a choice to make for positive reasons, and many of them, that is already being done by people in the know who are real riders.

 

Maybe real riders making up a diverse mix of people could be approached and briefly interviewed for such a video. Why are you taking it, how often do you take it, etc. Obtain permission to use them in the video via quick waiver form, then the best of the answers edited into the video. As to permissions to film the greater ridership, I'm sure there's fine print somewhere that already indicates if you are a rider you may be filmed, though it may not say for promotional purposes so that might have to be addressed. But that's for a lawyer to figure out.

I'm not sure if they stopped, but I know on the pat year they were playing RTA commercials on TV and radio.

 

Sidebar: there REALLY needs to be a better job highlighting the Rapid station at the airport. I know it exists and I still have a hard time seeing the sign. I hope the renovations address this....anything would be better.

I think those suggestions are good for PR purposes for existing riders, so you don't lose them, but in terms of attracting new ones, yeah, I think some videos that show real people using the services to attend a variety of things, and a mix of people, not just workers going to/from work but families, young people going to concerts or sporting events, people going to/from the airport, people with purchases made at Shaker Square farmers market or what have you, that would be great. But if you hire actors and make it a promotional video, all the comments are going to be about how this isn't what the real makeup of transit riders are. The myth needs to be dispelled that only poor people with no other choice take RTA. It needs to be shown as a choice to make for positive reasons, and many of them, that is already being done by people in the know who are real riders.

 

Maybe real riders making up a diverse mix of people could be approached and briefly interviewed for such a video. Why are you taking it, how often do you take it, etc. Obtain permission to use them in the video via quick waiver form, then the best of the answers edited into the video. As to permissions to film the greater ridership, I'm sure there's fine print somewhere that already indicates if you are a rider you may be filmed, though it may not say for promotional purposes so that might have to be addressed. But that's for a lawyer to figure out.

 

I'd focus on the commute to work.  I suspect that pretty much every rider who isn't a poor person with no other choice started out as a commuter to work or school.

Dates and locations have been released for public hearings on the fare increase/service cuts:

 

Greater Cleveland RTA chief expects more customers, closed roads and bridges, during Republican National Convention

 

By Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland.com

Email the author | Follow on Twitter

on March 09, 2016 at 5:06 PM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The RTA is preparing for an influx of customers resulting from road closures and other temporary changes during the Republican National Convention, the public transit agency's chief said this week.

 

Greater Cleveland RTA Executive Director Joe Calabrese said his agency is preparing for the closure of the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge that connects Ohio City to downtown Cleveland, as well as the Lakefront Municipal Parking Lot and other parking areas throughout downtown. The convention, scheduled for the week of July 18, is expected to bring 50,000 people to the area and result in heightened security restrictions.

 

Calabrese said the bridge will be closed, as will access to the surrounding area, because roads surrounding Quicken Loans Arena, the main convention hall, also likely will be closed while the convention is in session. The closures likely will begin on the Friday before the four-day convention, he said.

 

The U.S. Secret Service, which is working with Cleveland police on setting the RNC-related security restrictions, has not publicly discussed its plans, which likely will not be announced until June at the earliest.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/rnc-2016/index.ssf/2016/03/greater_cleveland_rta_chief.html

Calabrese met with the PD at 11 am yesterday to talk about the need for more state funding to stave off service cuts and fare increases.

 

And THIS is the article the PD came up with??

Calabrese met with the PD at 11 am yesterday to talk about the need for more state funding to stave off service cuts and fare increases.

 

And THIS is the article the PD came up with??

 

That other stuff isn't sexy enough for the PD.

Calabrese met with the PD at 11 am yesterday to talk about the need for more state funding to stave off service cuts and fare increases.

 

And THIS is the article the PD came up with??

 

That other stuff isn't sexy enough for the PD.

 

And the PD today is run by GOP patrons. They couldn't care less about the little people that depend on RTA's buses and trains before and after the circus leaves town.

All east-side rail lines are replaced with buses this morning due to "problems with the overhead" -- which I presume to be the wires. But with RTA-speak it could mean that an overhead bridge fell down on the tracks!

I guess that explains the mob at the E 55th Street station waiting for the R buses.

Calabrese met with the PD at 11 am yesterday to talk about the need for more state funding to stave off service cuts and fare increases.

 

And THIS is the article the PD came up with??

 

That other stuff isn't sexy enough for the PD.

 

And the PD today is run by GOP patrons. They couldn't care less about the little people that depend on RTA's buses and trains before and after the circus leaves town.

 

That really sucks for the riding public.  RTA has its cloak 'n dagger ways and the only major newspaper in NEO, our so-called "watchdog" doesn't really give a sh-t.

East side rail lines are shut down for the rest of today. And the west side Red Line is scheduled to be shut down this weekend for trackwork.

East side rail lines are shut down for the rest of today. And the west side Red Line is scheduled to be shut down this weekend for trackwork.

 

The West side Red Line shutdown for this weekend was cancelled to allow resources to be devoted to supporting the restoration of East side service.

East side rail lines are shut down for the rest of today. And the west side Red Line is scheduled to be shut down this weekend for trackwork.

 

The West side Red Line shutdown for this weekend was cancelled to allow resources to be devoted to supporting the restoration of East side service.

 

Eastside to the Westside...no diggity! :)

No articles asking why the State of Ohio has not decided to increase transit funding yet we get this dumb slideshow:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/naymik/index.ssf/2016/03/rtas_waterfront_line_aka_ghost.html

No articles asking why the State of Ohio has not decided to increase transit funding yet we get this dumb slideshow:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/naymik/index.ssf/2016/03/rtas_waterfront_line_aka_ghost.html

 

It's Naymik.  He likes doing homework about as much as I did in high school.  During football season.

No articles asking why the State of Ohio has not decided to increase transit funding yet we get this dumb slideshow:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/naymik/index.ssf/2016/03/rtas_waterfront_line_aka_ghost.html

 

To be fair, Andrew Tobias tweeted this at me the other day when I was complaining about the RTA RNC article. So, we'll see what happens...

 

@AndrewJTobias  Mar 9

Hi Tom: I parachuted into this topic to address my lane. Something is coming out about the larger issues facing the RTA soon.

Calabrese met with the PD at 11 am yesterday to talk about the need for more state funding to stave off service cuts and fare increases.

 

And THIS is the article the PD came up with??

 

That other stuff isn't sexy enough for the PD.

 

And the PD today is run by GOP patrons. They couldn't care less about the little people that depend on RTA's buses and trains before and after the circus leaves town.

 

Talk about how poorly tranist in this City is run and reported on, consider:

 

- on Thursday, the PD reported that services on the entire East Side Rapid system was out due to a "fire" in the "overhead power system."  (<-- that's it, no more detail than this).  The PD, however, reports that all service will be restored by the Friday morning rush.

 

- at halftime during the Cavs late game I was listening to while driving into town late last night, WTAM reported (once) the same story as the PD; again asuring service will be restored Friday morning (today).  Not so, as we all know by now... after that one WTAM news report, WTAM goes silent on RTA instead reporting on the Bay Village fire tragedy (a very sad and important story, no question) and the presidential primary, focusing on the Republicans. ... of course.

 

- Friday morning, a family member calls me while I'm in bed upset because she's at a Green Line station stop where she tells me, there's no service and a sign inside the shelter about buses (she doesn't take the rapid much so she's not hip to Joe C's cool new R-bus system service; but she had a morning appointment downtown near TC and decided to take the Rapid).  I throw on my clothes, still groggy from the late night arrival, and drive her into downtown and loads of traffic.  At the Rapid stops, esp at Shaker Square, riders seem totally confused, and wandering around.  Just as we were passing through the Square to North Moreland, we see an RTA cop car hustling toward the Shaker Sq stop, apparently to "alert" riders.

 

- Once back home, I go to the RTA website.  Initially, it stated that services was out Thursday and will be restored by Friday a.m. Rush.  Then, by the time I'm up around Noon, this had been revised to state that East Side Rail service would be: out "until further notice" but then, the alert states that service will be out "through Sunday."

 

-- the PD: No story or update at all on the Rail outage.  Instead, the aforementioned goofy article by Mark Naymik advacting that, since RTA must make cuts, the Waterfront Line should be the first to go (why is that?  Why should a RAIL LINE serving the hotest, up-and-coming part of town DIRECTLY be the first to go when, even by the articles estimate, RTA will save a whoping $300K/year by cutting off service after 7p after they'd just extended it from 10:30p to Midnight!?  Esp when RTA could have saved $300K (or more) by, say, NOT making expensive metal temporary R-rail replacement bus signs when most cities, including RTA in saner days, merely stapled paper temp signs to telephone poles when rail services is out.  It's as if RTA EXPECTS rail to be out ... frequently (which it sadly is).  -- and, of course, Naymik quotes the same, tired-old inflated $70M price tag for the WFL, when in fact, rail construction itself was somewhere in the $50M range -- much of the bogus, quoted "rail" expense, was discretionary road rebuilding by the City for what they saw as promoting better traffic flow around the WFL.

 

So in other words, the Plain Dealer cares more about jumping up and down to KILL off the Waterfront Line, a high-capacity RAIL system as the Flats East Bank development (only Phase II), when Phase III is planned, and even Phase II is still brand new, and not even fully online... funny, I didn't see any Naymik articles (or any articles from the PD) questioning in anyway, the $330M Opportunity Corridor highway being shoved down the taxpayers' throats...  Oh yeah, the PD's former chief Terry Eggar (sp) was chair of the OC, committee, and we'll never know how deep into somebody's pocket he was in using his newspaper (the only game in town) as an OC platform...

 

And at the same time, the PD has zero updates about a REAL problem for rail transit riders: that the entire East Side Rapid system is totally out-of service, with scores of confused and angry riders, until "further notice" --> see God knows when...

 

Such is the state of mass transit operations (actually, the lack thereof) and its coverage and interest by the local media.  It's why that, while I'm thrilled about all the development and promise in Cleveland and many of it's neighborhoods, I'm not "All In" since to many in this community seem content to just piss away such a valuable service as the Rapid -- which many other cities (including Cincy and Columbus IN Ohio) would crap on themselves to have -- with little questioning or complaint by pols and the media -- while, oh yeah, crack reporters like Mark Naymik are All In for reducing rail servcie! ... Yikes!  :drunk:

 

 

 

 

 

^ The PD reported on the rail outage around 1pm this afternoon: http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/03/repairs_to_east_side_rapid_lin.html

These are ways that I think RTA could improve marketing:

 

Partner with City Living Magazine and include bus and rail routes with it's neighborhood descriptions.

 

Put up signage (as a previous poster suggested)  saying this route goes to W. Side Mkt or Detroit Shoreway or Coventry or whatever the destination in 20 minutes, or 15 minutes

 

More ads about how much money can be saved by using transit plus other benefits, more walking, not having the stress of traffic, freedom to read, check phone or relax.

RNC welcome to Cleveland: Trash along RTA's airport route should be cleaned up before convention

 

By James F. McCarty, The Plain Dealer

on March 15, 2016 at 7:00 AM, updated March 15, 2016 at 7:03 AM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio – When an estimated 50,000 delegates and political operatives descend on the city for the Republican National Convention in July, most will likely fly into Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

 

Many of them are expected to opt for the cheapest and most direct mode of transportation to downtown: RTA's rapid transit trains.

 

...About 1-1/2 years ago, Valarie McCall, Cleveland's chief of Government and International Affairs, took a ride on the Red Line and realized something had to done.

 

"I was disgusted when I first saw it," McCall said during a phone interview Monday...

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/03/rnc_welcome_to_cleveland_trash_along_rtas_airport_route_should_be_cleaned_up_before_convention_photos.html

 

 

Does that mean that Valarie McCall had not taken a ride on the Red Line until just a year ago?

RNC welcome to Cleveland: Trash along RTA's airport route should be cleaned up before convention

 

By James F. McCarty, The Plain Dealer

on March 15, 2016 at 7:00 AM, updated March 15, 2016 at 7:03 AM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio – When an estimated 50,000 delegates and political operatives descend on the city for the Republican National Convention in July, most will likely fly into Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

 

Many of them are expected to opt for the cheapest and most direct mode of transportation to downtown: RTA's rapid transit trains.

 

...About 1-1/2 years ago, Valarie McCall, Cleveland's chief of Government and International Affairs, took a ride on the Red Line and realized something had to done.

 

"I was disgusted when I first saw it," McCall said during a phone interview Monday...

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/03/rnc_welcome_to_cleveland_trash_along_rtas_airport_route_should_be_cleaned_up_before_convention_photos.html

 

 

Does that mean that Valarie McCall had not taken a ride on the Red Line until just a year ago?

 

Perhaps, but she may have not looked at it from an outsider's perspective until now.

Maybe the idea is to give each of those 50,000 a bag and some gloves and they'll clean up Cleveland's trash.

There are plenty of underemployed people that we can pay minimum wage and set out to collect the garbage. There is a lot along the green/blue lines towards Shaker - this would be a great image booster.

There are plenty of underemployed people that we can pay minimum wage and set out to collect the garbage. There is a lot along the green/blue lines towards Shaker - this would be a great image booster.

 

Someone else mentioned that on twitter.  I don't ride the REd-line very often but how does it compare to the Blue/green?  They're pretty awful immediately after Shaker Square.

There are plenty of underemployed people that we can pay minimum wage and set out to collect the garbage. There is a lot along the green/blue lines towards Shaker - this would be a great image booster.

 

Someone else mentioned that on twitter.  I don't ride the REd-line very often but how does it compare to the Blue/green?  They're pretty awful immediately after Shaker Square.

 

I'd say the Red Line is worse. There are tires, appliances, mattresses, etc along the right of way, in addition to your typical trash. The difference is that most of the Red Line right of way is not owned by RTA, thus making clean up more difficult. That's not the case for the Blue/Green Line Shaker Blvd trench.

^I could be wrong (and this may be pedantic), but I think RTA owns its entire ROW. The problem for the Red Line, and some stretches of the Blue/Green Line between Tower City and Woodhill, is that most of the garbage isn't actually on the RTA ROW, but on adjacent land RTA has no control over. Either other railroad ROW or abutting lots, some of which are essentially abandoned and used for illegal dumping. The same point you're making, but just wanted to clarify.

^ Quite true. I should have said the area immediately adjacent to and visible from the RTA right of way.

The dumping/trash is worst between West Blvd to W65, but there is litter along much/most of the route. Tires, construction waste, washing machine, a boat... I believe that the Cleveland Rotary Club organizes clean ups around the Ohio City station (there is a wooden plaque that says homestead). Yes cleanups should be organized, and give people some civic pride. But you have to stem the illegal dumping in certain areas. Fences, home ownership, cameras, ...?

When people are sentenced to X hours of "community service," one of their functions is to do trash pick up along highways. Sometimes the court services direct them to clean up along the Rapid lines. But as Strap noted, RTA doesn't own the parallel Norfolk Southern railroad right of way where the trash is worst, between West Boulevard and Fulton Road bridge. They would have to get approval from NS to work there. Fortunately, the NS line that parallels the Red Line between West Blvd and Fulton sees only a couple freight trains a day.

 

However, if the intent is to clean up along the different NS tracks west of West Blvd to the airport, that line sees 60-80 freight trains per day (plus four daily 79 mph Amtrak passenger trains). It would probably be more difficult to get permission from NS to clean up along that NS right of way.

RNC welcome to Cleveland: Trash along RTA's airport route should be cleaned up before convention

 

By James F. McCarty, The Plain Dealer

on March 15, 2016 at 7:00 AM, updated March 15, 2016 at 7:03 AM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio – When an estimated 50,000 delegates and political operatives descend on the city for the Republican National Convention in July, most will likely fly into Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

 

Many of them are expected to opt for the cheapest and most direct mode of transportation to downtown: RTA's rapid transit trains.

 

...About 1-1/2 years ago, Valarie McCall, Cleveland's chief of Government and International Affairs, took a ride on the Red Line and realized something had to done.

 

"I was disgusted when I first saw it," McCall said during a phone interview Monday...

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/03/rnc_welcome_to_cleveland_trash_along_rtas_airport_route_should_be_cleaned_up_before_convention_photos.html

 

 

Does that mean that Valarie McCall had not taken a ride on the Red Line until just a year ago?

 

Most likely.  Any rider on the Red Line, at least the section in issue, would notice the trash.  It's hard not to.  The trash issue has been a problem for decades.  The fact that she is just now noticing it is telling.  Wonder if she uses RTA at all, let alone the west side Red Line.

March 22: RTA Board of Trustees meet at 9 a.m., face full agenda

RTA Trustees will hold their annual meeting at 9 a.m. in the Main Office to select a President and Vice-President for the coming year. A regular Board meeting follows.

 

I don't see a link anywhere to view the agenda.

I'm fairly certain that allowing trash to build up is a violation of building and housing codes.  Time to start citing property owners along the Red Line.

^From that Cleveland.com article:

 

City Housing Code Enforcement officials and the Cuyahoga County Health Department will be brought in to locate the worst areas, to notify the property owners of their cleanup responsibilities, and to cite the violators, Councilman Zone said.

^From that Cleveland.com article:

 

City Housing Code Enforcement officials and the Cuyahoga County Health Department will be brought in to locate the worst areas, to notify the property owners of their cleanup responsibilities, and to cite the violators, Councilman Zone said.

 

Good idea....but there is no way anything gets done prior to the RNC.  Unless of course there is a wealthy donor patron who wants to property (ala Wolstein), the city just doesn't have the enforcement mechanism to get this stuff done much at all, let alone in the next 60 days.

https://www.apta.com/about/governance/Documents/Bio%20for%20Valarie%20J%20%20McCall.pdf

 

Thought maybe she's an east sider that rarely goes west of downtown, but I suspect she was being disingenuous.

Random thought. I've heard from this forum that GCRTA is planning on hopefully replacing the light / heavy rail cars over the next coming years. Does it make sense to replace the fleet with a brand new fleet, or could you get significant discounts by buying out a different cities car fleet that they are retiring? i.e. I've read that DC's WMATA is replacing their 1000,2k,3k,4k,5k,6000 fleets with full 7000 series, followed by 8000 series cars. Not that the old cars are unreliable, but as they grow their fleet (adding new lines, upping each line to run 8 full coaches), they also wanted for stylistic reasons to have each car be identical. All the new 7000 series cars have LED lighting, and digital screens indicating the upcoming stops.

 

No reason for all old coaches to be sent to the scrapyard, or museums, when there is an agency that could use them. Perhaps get an agreement with the funding process, that any savings in vehicle procurement could be redirected to other infrastructure improvements (line extension, line upgrades, new line...). I'd venture to say that Cleveland is a little less picky than DC when it comes to stylistic requirements of transit vehicles. I'm guessing a counter-argument of an overly diverse fleet would be maintenance. Having to maintain a very wide array of makes/models, and stock replacement parts, and have maintenance workers.

Because WMATA's old trains are junk. They'd have to be refurbished. Since they're heavy rail cars, they'd only work on our Red Line (with modifications) where GCRTA is just finishing an overdue rehab of its heavy rail fleet.

https://www.apta.com/about/governance/Documents/Bio%20for%20Valarie%20J%20%20McCall.pdf

 

Thought maybe she's an east sider that rarely goes west of downtown, but I suspect she was being disingenuous.

 

LOL....she's the friggin' chair of the American Public Transportation Association and she just rode Cleveland's Red Line to the Airport last year?  She only then saw first-hand what an unsightly mess much of the Aiport line is.  She's a member of the board of trustees of GCRTA for then 9 years and she just saw the trash ride to the Airport?  Incredible. 

 

Trust me, this lady is not on any form of public transportation unless she has a city driver paid on the taxpayers' dime.  Everyone wonders why RTA is treading water.  All political hack board members interested only in their resumes. 

 

Finishing her CV here, I'm reminded that she's the one with the Honorary CSU Doctorate and wants to be addressed as ''Doctor''...lol.  Enough said.  You can't make this stuff up.  Cleveland politics is always good for a laugh at least.

 

At a minimum, people like Dr. McCall should be required to take the Red Line to Hopkins for city-job related travel.  Think Mayor Jackson or takes the Red Line to Hopkins when he travels?

 

 

Besides Rahm and Bloomberg, I imagine very few mayors do

Besides Rahm and Bloomberg, I imagine very few mayors do

 

Jane Campbell was probably the worst example.  She grew up in Shaker, where it was planned that every resident resides within a half mile (usually much less) of a Rapid station.  As mayor, Jane (and Hunter Morrison) moved to just inside Cleveland at the Shaker-Cleveland border.  It would have been a snap for her to have walked 1 block to the Drexmore station and ride the straight shot through the Waterfront Line to the E. 9th station which sits behind Jane's City Hall office.  Not only would it have been convenient for Jane, but it could have been a huge lead-by-example moment for local transit, in general, and the (still struggling) Waterfront Line, in particular. 

 

... but noooo.  A friend, then living in the Shaker Towers, used to comment regularly of Jane sightings in the back seat of her chauffeur-driven City car zipping through Shaker Square.  Such is the cavalier way public officials treat mass transit here in Cleveland. 

 

Valarie McCall received deserved recognition for her prestigious appointment as Vice Chair to APTA's executive committee... But as for her actually using RTA transit?  ... well, ya know...

Besides Rahm and Bloomberg, I imagine very few mayors do

 

Jane Campbell was probably the worst example.  She grew up in Shaker, where it was planned that every resident resides within a half mile (usually much less) of a Rapid station.  As mayor, Jane (and Hunter Morrison) moved to just inside Cleveland at the Shaker-Cleveland border.  It would have been a snap for her to have walked 1 block to the Drexmore station and ride the straight shot through the Waterfront Line to the E. 9th station which sits behind Jane's City Hall office.  Not only would it have been convenient for Jane, but it could have been a huge lead-by-example moment for local transit, in general, and the (still struggling) Waterfront Line, in particular. 

 

Don't forget her husband drove all over God's green earth on the public's dime. I suppose he wasn't wealthy enough for his own car.

RTA Contemplates Service Cuts to Waterfront Line, Green Line and More

 

Posted By Sam Allard on Tue, Mar 1, 2016 at 11:45 am

 

At a Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority board meeting Tuesday morning, CEO Joe Calabrese once again reminded the committee of the whole of the agency’s stark financial realities.

 

In December, 2015, the board voted on a 2016 budget that included a fare hike and service cuts. But the implementation of both has been stalled while the RTA gathers public input and plumbs its woebegone existential condition.

 

In February, Calabrese called the decision to briefly postpone the fare hike a “very, very heartfelt decision.”

 

Tuesday, he said that this month of deliberation and soul-searching has been a month the agency could afford. But looking ahead, he admitted that there was “no easy answer.” He presented a graph illustrating the decline in state public transit funding: Since 2000, state support for all transit agencies in Ohio has dipped from $43 million per year to about $7 million per year.

 

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2016/03/01/rta-contemplates-serious-service-cuts-waterfront-line-green-line-on-the-chopping-block

 

^... of special note from the Scene article:  He (Calabrese) did mention, off the cuff, that he'd sent an email to developers Adam Fishman and Dick Pace about the peril of the Waterfront Line — perhaps another Public-Private partnership or sponsored route's in the offing.

 

Good move by Joe C.  Let's see what comes of it.

Besides Rahm and Bloomberg, I imagine very few mayors do

 

Well, when your the mayor of a city like Cleveland, trying to reinvent and promote itself, and with its struggling transit ridership and all, could it hurt to take a couple of Red Line rides to the Airport?  Pretend to at least promote using Cleveland's public transit system, especially with the incredible, all enclosed, direct access to Hopkins the Red Line offers. 

 

City employees in general and those traveling on city business to the airport in particular should take it as much as possible.  If they won't use it, why should anyone else except those forced to. 

Forced to? 62 percent of RTA riders have a driver's license and live in a household with a car.

StreetsblogOhio ‏@StreetsblogOhio  5h5 hours ago

This is cool. Cleveland has its first track to help take bikes up and down stairs at its Lee Road Rapid Station.