Back to ridership issues, I was on a tour-de-city-per-transit today with a friend of mine from Chicago. It was a lovely day for touring and walking. We used four buses and two Rapids, and all of them were very full. Now, granted, the Rapids were one-car dinkys, so the load would have been less impressive with a two-car train. Two of the buses were standing room-only (the second time this week I've experienced standees in off-peak travel times). There were the usual transit dependent on board, but quite a few people of some means. I suspect the additional folks were on board for the same reason I was -- cost of gas. Plus, we spent some time downtown and at the West Side Market, as well as strolling back into Ohio City's neighborhoods, so we didn't want to be burdened with a car.

 

But, it's good see the ridership was looking pretty strong. We stuck to the main routes where the frequencies are no worse than every 15 minutes on a Saturday and all the connections worked pretty well. A nice day for a transit tour of the city....

I was very interested and completely unsurprised to see Tampa's ridership - 35,800 vs Cleveland (197,000) the metro areas are roughly the same size! Tampa's public transport was horrible. I lived near a major road in an urban neighborhood 3 miles from city center . my 2 main places of doing business at the time (a county court house 3.5 miles away ) and a government office (3 miles the other way) were completely inaccessible by bus. the traffic was horrible. Everyone lives in the burbs to have their big cheap house and clog the highways into the city. A friend recently reported it takes him 35 minutes to commute  6 miles.  I worked with poor people that did not own cars and they really could not get around in any meaningful way to get a job. In Cleveland, lots of my clients with disabilities can access employment due to the transportation availability here. I know a lot of people  complain (and hey there is room for improvement), but it is better here than some cities this size.  Having just come back from San Fran, I found for  city that size the bus transportation was  unreliable and often ill planned IE 3 number #2 buses would come back to back, and then 45 min would pass before another came, or several empty buses would circle around and others would fly by completely packed and not stop. I do not take the bus often in Cleveland, but when I have it has been very dependable-maybe I am just lucky. On the flip side, when I was in a city of about 30,000 in Sweden (small town by our standards) hardly anyone drove b/c there was heavy and light rail and buses  everywhere. Just about everyone else walked or biked.  I often wonder what comes first re: high ridership -the availability, or does the demand precede this and then the availability comes?  Are there studies as to why more people do not take public transport? Lord knows I would if I did not have to go out in the field in my job.

Back to ridership issues, I was on a tour-de-city-per-transit today with a friend of mine from Chicago. It was a lovely day for touring and walking. We used four buses and two Rapids, and all of them were very full.

 

must not ahve been on the waterfront line. as I jogged thru the flats today saw it go by with one lone man sitting in the back (with a digital camera taking pic's no less)

Hey, I saw a Waterfront Line train today with two people on it!

 

I often wonder what comes first re: high ridership -the availability, or does the demand precede this and then the availability comes?  Are there studies as to why more people do not take public transport?

 

It's all about the land use. Put lots of densely developed, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use neighborhoods within 1,000 feet of transit stations and watch the ridership bloom. We're trying to do that here in Cleveland (other than just at Tower City, Shaker Square, Windermere and University Circle), but it's a slow process unfortunately.

 

 

KJP,

 

can you please post the link to GCRTA's newly adopted? TOD guidelines and perhaps provide an analysis of sorts?  )I know this was posted elsewhere but I'm having trouble locating it.)

 

thanks always for your insight!

KJP, I think I you mentioned in an earlier thread that you obtained station-by-station ridership counts from RTA at some point.  Is there any trick to getting them (e.g., knowing the right people there as you seem to) or do you think I could get them just by working my way through the public interface?  I imagine they compile new counts every year?

can you please post the link to GCRTA's newly adopted? TOD guidelines and perhaps provide an analysis of sorts?  )I know this was posted elsewhere but I'm having trouble locating it.)

 

RTA hasn't adopted TOD guidelines yet so there's nothing for me to analyze. It is likely that they will develop them, however, based on what I posted at:  http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4859.msg89089#msg89089

 

KJP, I think I you mentioned in an earlier thread that you obtained station-by-station ridership counts from RTA at some point.  Is there any trick to getting them (e.g., knowing the right people there as you seem to) or do you think I could get them just by working my way through the public interface?  I imagine they compile new counts every year?

 

Yes, they do. I acquired the station-by-station ridership counts going back to 1955 (for the Red Line), but it only refers to total annual ridership on the Shaker Lines. I'll bet RTA has the station-by-station data for those lines as well, but perhaps only for years after 1975 which is when RTA took them over from the city of Shaker Heights. Then again, RTA also took over the Red Line from someone else (the Cleveland Transit System), so maybe Shaker Heights gave RTA the same kind of data as CTS. Just a guess though.

 

So, to answer your question. I acquired the Red Line data from Jerry Masek, RTA's media relations manager. He's a nice guy, and if you tell him what you'll need them for (like a college research paper or some other productive pursuit), I suspect he'd be happy to oblige your request.

 

His contact info is on RTA's website.

must not ahve been on the waterfront line. as I jogged thru the flats today saw it go by with one lone man sitting in the back (with a digital camera taking pic's no less)

 

Hey, I saw a Waterfront Line train today with two people on it!

 

Headlines for the PD..."Ridership on the Waterfront Line Doubles!"

"Ridership up 100% on the Waterfront Line!"

 

 

must not have been on the waterfront line. as I jogged thru the flats today saw it go by with one lone man sitting in the back (with a digital camera taking pic's no less)

 

Hey, I saw a Waterfront Line train today with two people on it!

 

Headlines for the PD..."Ridership on the Waterfront Line Doubles!"

"Ridership up 100% on the Waterfront Line!"

 

 

 

mmm ridership doubles? I assume I was out there before KJP when this analysis was done. I saw one he saw 2 , that is indeed a 100% increase.Oh wait metrocity are you trying to be funny? I just got it. Maybe the many beers and Margaritas at taco night at Lincoln park pub... :drunk: :whip:

 

 

...Wow...  :-o

 

I now know why I gave up booze!  :wink:

This might be a little off-topic, but I wonder if we would get more mass transit use if RTA made a relatively small change--simplifying the passes and farecards. 

 

For example, I've only ever been to New York City a few times, but I've never been confused about how to ride the subway and busses.  I just buy a metrocard and put $20 on it (to cover a weekend of siteseeing) and then swipe it everywhere.  If I run low, I just put more money on it. 

 

Compare that to Cleveland.  I've grown up in the area, but I am still sometimes confused as to which card I need to buy.  I've even bought the wrong card, and had to fork over some cash at the gate in Tower City, because the retailer didn't know the difference between Express and Local. 

 

Compare http://merchant.cboss.com/ViewPage.asp?URL=ProductList.asp&SiteID=183&CategoryID=5801

with http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/metrocard/index.html.  I'm exaggertaing a little (there a few more options within NYC's system) but not much.  Other cities have something similar, for example the SmarTrip card in DC.

 

I think we might get more tourist ridership if the system were simpler, and we might get more ridership from residents, too.  I know I've talked to people who find it easier to Google Map their drive somewhere and pay for parking than try to figure out how to get there with mass transit and then how much the trip will cost and how they should pay for it. 

 

Sorry about the rant. 

 

 

I find that's one of my least favorite experiences on RTA--figuring when and how much to pay.  As you mentioned, the SmarTrip card in DC requires no thinking whatsoever.  At the end of the month, I get $105 in farecards from my employer, which I dump onto the smart card (which holds up to $300).  Then, all you do is touch and go--literally--and it works on the subway and the buses.  The card automatically calculates the cost of a transfer to a bus, so no paper transfers are required.  What will be really cool is when the suburban bus and commuter rail systems start accepting the SmarTrip card.

 

RTA, on the other hand, is almost always a debacle.  I'm never sure if I'm supposed to pay when I get on the Rapid, or when I get off.  Sometimes you need to swipe the card.  Other times you apparently don't.  I'm still not sure when I need a transfer.  When you do have to pay while boarding the Rapid, there's about 20 other people who have to pay before the train can start moving, which makes it no better than a bus.  What would happen if ridership was any higher?  If RTA had a couple hundred people boarding and deboarding at each stop, there's no way they'd be able to move the trains.  They really need a more efficient (and consistent) system of fare collection.

I find that's one of my least favorite experiences on RTA--figuring when and how much to pay.  As you mentioned, the SmarTrip card in DC requires no thinking whatsoever.  At the end of the month, I get $105 in farecards from my employer, which I dump onto the smart card (which holds up to $300).  Then, all you do is touch and go--literally--and it works on the subway and the buses.  The card automatically calculates the cost of a transfer to a bus, so no paper transfers are required.  What will be really cool is when the suburban bus and commuter rail systems start accepting the SmarTrip card.

 

RTA, on the other hand, is almost always a debacle.  I'm never sure if I'm supposed to pay when I get on the Rapid, or when I get off.  Sometimes you need to swipe the card.  Other times you apparently don't.  I'm still not sure when I need a transfer.  When you do have to pay while boarding the Rapid, there's about 20 other people who have to pay before the train can start moving, which makes it no better than a bus.  What would happen if ridership was any higher?  If RTA had a couple hundred people boarding and deboarding at each stop, there's no way they'd be able to move the trains.  They really need a more efficient (and consistent) system of fare collection.

 

-didn't the RTA get rid of transfers a while ago?

-I have never heard of paying when you get off the train.

 

From my experience, the Blue and Green lines always seem to be Pay Boarding Outbound, Pay Departing Inbound.  With the WFL, all bets are off, apparently.

^ See my post above at

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4504.msg91860#msg91860

GCRTA offers all day riding for $3, which sounds simple enough.

 

however the fare collection remains a mystery. it certainly is strange (to residents) and likely perplexing and frustrating (to tourists) when to pay and often where to board/exit.  sometimes it's pay on the train, or pay at the station, or pay when you exit,  or pay when you board, yada, yada, yada.  i've been on the redline with my bike in the rear car and been forced to move my bike through two full cars in order to exit the train.  bizarre.

 

i talked with mr. calabreeze early last year at a ECTP meeting about fare collection and boarding.  he said the ECTP (Silver line) will be an honor system and that eventually all RTA trains and busses will utilize the honor system.  portland, oregon is the only other city i can currently think of that employs the honor system.

 

thoughts?

Honor system?

 

Does that mean that the driver trusts that you have already paid??

Yes. You buy a ticket from a machine on the platform or in the station and get on the train (or EC bus) without having to show the driver anything. However, RTA is hiring something like 50 police officers in the coming years to patrol the trains and EC buses to check to see if riders have their proof of payment (farecard, etc). If they don't, they can be subject to very hefty fines (in Ottawa, it's something like $500). Baltimore and numerous other cities also have the proof of payment/honor system.

but.... why cant it just be, buy the ticket, feed it into the machine on the train and you're done?  or like nyc, feed it through a machine that lets you onto the platform.  isnt that easier and cheaper than hiring more people to "patrol"

Alot of European cities are on honor system, as well.  It can be a problem if enforcement is too low.  I know that in Rome, almost nobody pays to ride, ever.

but.... why cant it just be, buy the ticket, feed it into the machine on the train and you're done?  or like nyc, feed it through a machine that lets you onto the platform.  isnt that easier and cheaper than hiring more people to "patrol"

i suppose it's because any system put in place to ENFORCE payment costs money both upfront and maintenance over the long run

but.... why cant it just be, buy the ticket, feed it into the machine on the train and you're done?  or like nyc, feed it through a machine that lets you onto the platform.  isnt that easier and cheaper than hiring more people to "patrol"

i suppose it's because any system put in place to ENFORCE payment costs money both upfront and maintenance over the long run

 

Yeah, does reconfiguring platforms or hiring transit cops cost less than we will save from enforcement?

 

Isn't it a little strange that this is all so hard to figure out?  There are thousands of cities in the world with mass transit systems, some running for over one hundred years.  Why can't we look around a couple a cities with successfully mass transit systems and pick whichever payment system works best? 

 

An NYC- or DC-style would be much nicer than what we have, and that's based on anecdotal evidence from one random guy on the internet. 

 

Hey, we could even put little RFID chips in all the cards, so that people can just walk in and out and have their account dinged automatically.  :)

Payment on RTA, to me, has been bass ackwards for a long time.  I think they should do the turnstile system like NY or Chicago.  I remember one time exiting the WFL at E9th, and there was a person asking to see tickets as you exited at the top of the station...I almost threw mine away before I got to the exit..that seems like the dumbest way to check on fares I have ever seen!

I never know what or when to pay on RTA, it is really confusing.  Once I got on the WFL after a weekend stay at a National Terminals Bldg(you can rent corp apartments like a hotel room on Orbitz).  Got on at the station behind that building and the train driver asked us for tickets???  Where the hell were we supposed to get tickets...the driver couldn't explain and finally just let us on.  We had all of our luggage and were on the way to the airport.  It made the system look really stupid and rinky dink.  Was I supposed to buy a ticket at Tower City 4 days prior on my way in from the airport??

It's all a mess...they actually used to have turnstiles at many stations on the Red Line, but have taken them out.  For example, I went to get on at Univ. Circle last week and expected a turnstile once I got up to the platform.  It wasn't there, so I just walked by the booth, where a woman was immersed in her reading.  She started banging on the window for me to come back!  Why they decided to make things more confusing over the past 10 years, I have no idea!

 

It seems that there are so many little things that they could do relatively easily to make the system better, but they appear to be doing little things to make it worse!

They hide in those little booths, man!  I don't know how many times I've walked on by because they are hidden by posters and crap.

but.... why cant it just be, buy the ticket, feed it into the machine on the train and you're done?  or like nyc, feed it through a machine that lets you onto the platform.  isnt that easier and cheaper than hiring more people to "patrol"

 

Its not that simple on the EC project, however, at all Red Line stations it should be this way.

 

On the shaker line its more difficult, since the stations are open.  I think that RTA should do what the NJ Transit does.  The conductor, checks to see that every passenger has a paid ticket or monthly pass.  If not, you pay him on board or off you go...to be met by an escort(aka the poopoo) at the next station.

"to be met by an escort(aka the poopoo) at the next station."

 

Ahem, I have it on good authority that the proper spelling is po-po.

 

"Excuse me miss, I speak jive" :wink:

^That is a classic

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1146040475219270.xml&coll=2

 

Gas prices fueling mass-transit use

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

John C. Kuehner

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Higher gas prices are driving commuters to park their cars and ride the bus.

 

Mass transit agencies in Greater Cleveland report more riders on their buses and trains, continuing a growth in ridership that spans the past three years.

 

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has enjoyed a 12 percent growth in ridership over the last three years. General Manager Joe Calabrese expects ridership to increase 4 percent this year.

 

....

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5325

I wonder if RTA will consider adding a third car to it's rail lines...I have noticed, especially during "rush hour" times, that there are many cars on various lines that are standing room only.  I wonder how much more it costs RTA to run a three car train instead of a two?  Any word if they will add another car to relieve the demand?

^Is there a station that can only serve two cars?  In Chicago they could double the amount of cars on the Ravenswood line but some of the platforms can only handle a small number of cars.

I wonder if RTA will consider adding a third car to it's rail lines...I have noticed, especially during "rush hour" times, that there are many cars on various lines that are standing room only.  I wonder how much more it costs RTA to run a three car train instead of a two?  Any word if they will add another car to relieve the demand?

 

I'f im not mistaken, on the red line, RTA can run, five car trains and on the blue/green lines three car trains which on occasion they do.  On occasions when they use the retrofitted "nostalgia" PCC cars (on the blue/green lines) they can run 5 car trains.

I wonder if RTA will consider adding a third car to it's rail lines...I have noticed, especially during "rush hour" times, that there are many cars on various lines that are standing room only.  I wonder how much more it costs RTA to run a three car train instead of a two?  Any word if they will add another car to relieve the demand?

 

If I'm not mistaken, on the red line, RTA can run, five car trains and on the blue/green lines three car trains which on occasion they do.  On occasions when they use the retrofitted "nostalgia" PCC cars (on the blue/green lines) they can run 5 car trains.

 

^Is there a station that can only serve two cars?  In Chicago they could double the amount of cars on the Ravenswood line but some of the platforms can only handle a small number of cars.

 

I just thought.  Maybe the E 105 & E 120 stations have been reduced in length making it harder to run longer trains.

^I thought the max length of platforms on the Red Line is for 4 cars, which would be all Cleveland could ever need, anyway.  You're right, E.105 has been reduced w/ the new station, whose entrance has been switched from E.105 to adjacent Quincy.  But my understanding is that once the reconstruction of E.105 -- currently underway -- is complete, the plan is to lengthen the platform all the way under 105 and to open an elaborate headhouse at that location to complement the Quincy entrance.  Meanwhile, there was initially a TOD plan for the Juvenile Court/holding on the old Carling brewery site.  I don't know what the status is, though.

 

Also, I didn't know E.120 was shortened, too.  I never use that stop, but KJP has mentioned the plan is to relocate that station to between Euclid and Mayfield.

 

My thing is why don't they at least put some 2-car trains back on the Blue/Green lines during rush hour.  It stinks to see so many people sardined on those silly single car runs, esp the elderly riders.  RTA claims to rejoice in expanded ridership after they've vocally touted their service, yet not that they're riding, RTA doesn't know how to treat them.

^ i'd take reduced headways during the day and at peak times running the current configurations.  there may be some system limitations to adding any more peak frequency, idk.   

 

i'd also think that RTA would look more closely at diversifying their fuel sources.  All of the new buses are clean diesel, but what happened to CNG?  Electric?  Hybrid?  or expanded Rail electric?  RTA has never mentioned if their electric operating costs have gone up.  Anyone know?

^ Not to my knowledge they haven't. In fact, some at RTA are noting that, while fuel prices go up each penny, RTA loses another $54,000. None of that cost has been felt by the rail system. And, another thing to note is that while RTA buses average 24 boardings per trip, RTA trains average more than 50 boardings per trip. That results in more productivity per labor hour and, increasingly, per unit of energy.

 

And that's for an underperforming rail system. Imagine how much better those numbers would be if areas around stations were developed with mixed uses and walkable settings to increase rail's utility. The basic numbers are there for making RTA more efficient -- all that's needed is the will to capitalize on them.

To reach the 2005 annual report:

* Click on www.riderta.com/ar_publications-annual_report.asp

* Or go to www.riderta.com, then select About RTA > Publications > 2005 Annual Report.

 

To read "Transit 2025", RTA's long-range plan:

* Click on www.riderta.com/ar_transit2025.asp

* Or go to www.riderta.com, then select About RTA > Transit 2025

 

I was just going to post that stuff! Thanks for doing that Archer!

Thanks for the info.  It's easy to be skeptical about some of RTA's "long term" rail plans, like expanding the Red Line into Berea when that plan was killed off by Berea's complaints years ago.  Ditto, the Blue line ext into Chagrin Highlands, which Calabrese all but pronounced as good as dead a few years ago -- he's good for that, you know, except when it comes to his treasured BRT (aka, the transit-funded street landscaping project, as is correctly coined by DaninDC)

 

Who is RTA trying to kid?  I guess it's up to the City to push for the Waterfront Line's lakefront extension (much like the City pushed for, and got the Waterfront line, itself).

 

It's also interesting how much the death of the Flats East Bank seemed to drop RTA rails already weak 9M numbers to 7M in the course of about 5 years.  Hopefully, growth in the form of Wolstein's project can help boost that number.  Obviously, the better news is that there appears to be growth elsewhere in the system.

 

It would be nice if we could get those TOD projects moving.  Those could be a big boost (although, the youth Center proposed at West Park doesn't seem like much of a TOD -- a sprawling suburban-like building with cars all around it).

weird how some of that long term plan has not been revised in ages.

 

may fav part was the bus rapid transit down the west shoreway. thats great calabrese. yeah, you go right on ahead with your unproven and unbuilt bus in your long range planning. oh well, i guess the new 'calmed' shoreway boulevard will need some pretty landscaping. geesh.

It's also interesting how much the death of the Flats East Bank seemed to drop RTA rails already weak 9M numbers to 7M in the course of about 5 years.

 

That would be hard to do since the Waterfront Line's best year of ridership was about 900,000. I believe it's down to about 250K or so now. I'd say a bigger factor in the rail ridership slide was the loss of several major downtown office and retail employers. Losing BP, Higbee's/Dillard's, May Co/Kaufmann's and perhaps others I'm overlooking made a lifestyle surrounding the rapid less convenient.

 

RTA often acts as if these setbacks are a result only of unfortunate circumstances beyond RTA's control -- and that's true if you have no financial resources, staff or programs in place to affect change in land use surrounding transit facilities. Instead, RTA increasingly depends on commuters (work/school trips) for its ridership. While ridership based on commuting (work/school) is a solid foundation, that's all it should be -- a starting point. Getting larger ridership increases from a "transit lifestyle" -- large amounts of trips to the store, theater, restaurants etc. -- tend to happen more when TOD is being practiced. And, TOD happens most often where there are fixed transit facilities, with rail being the most "magnetic" for developers.

I'd say a bigger factor in the rail ridership slide was the loss of several major downtown office and retail employers. Losing BP, Higbee's/Dillard's, May Co/Kaufmann's and perhaps others I'm overlooking made a lifestyle surrounding the rapid less convenient.

 

RTA often acts as if these setbacks are a result only of unfortunate circumstances beyond RTA's control -- and that's true if you have no financial resources, staff or programs in place to affect change in land use surrounding transit facilities. Instead, RTA increasingly depends on commuters (work/school trips) for its ridership. While ridership based on commuting (work/school) is a solid foundation, that's all it should be -- a starting point. Getting larger ridership increases from a "transit lifestyle" -- large amounts of trips to the store, theater, restaurants etc. -- tend to happen more when TOD is being practiced. And, TOD happens most often where there are fixed transit facilities, with rail being the most "magnetic" for developers.

 

I completely agree. I have an elderly great aunt and uncle from Beachwood (who now live in Pepper Pike), but they always used to take the Shaker Rapid downtown to shop at department stores like Higbees, May, and Halle. Even as they got older they would continue using the rapid to go to Tower City when it was first installed and was an extremely attractive shopping center. In addition they have always preferred to travel by train and dislike air travel, so the rapid was important for them to make connections to quality intercity rail service from downtown Cleveland (which has also declined over the years). I'm sure a lot of people from the East Side used the Shaker Rapid to do this, especially the older generation used to streetcars and trains.

 

I think my great aunt and uncle represent a generation who understood and appreciated rapid/rail transit for its convenience and safety. However, as the depression-era generation phases out and the baby boomer generation came to power low gas prices swayed them away from public transit, and they became overly concerned with large houses and things available in the suburbs that significantly decreased public transit ridership and the vibrancy of downtowns. Tower City became a struggle to draw people there, and the waterfront line was and continues to be used as a novelty, but people have very little interest of actually "using" it.  Intercity rail also demised (for a number of reasons), but the baby boomer generation definately prefers air travel over rail.

 

The ability for the population to appreciate the charms of transit lifestyle that are critical for good transit service as KJP suggests. It is my opinion that the Baby Boomer generation does not appreciate transit lifestyle and are responsible for its decline. It is also the Baby Boomer generation that holds present civic leadership that often fails to understand this as well.

Where transit is available and operated well, the people find an amazing ability to adapt to that transit lifestyle.  I know quite a few 20-and-30-somethings who don't own cars, simply because they're not needed.  There are others who would love nothing more than to dispose of their vehicles.   

 

Our geography is based almost entirely on the Metro map in lieu of addresses, as in, "I live by Capitol South."  Entire social schedules, like bar hopping nights, are planned along subway lines (or bus routes).  Advertisements for bars, restaurants, theaters, salons, etc, almost always advertise the closest Metro station.  Most places beyond the reach of the Metro aren't even worth going anyway, so why bother?

 

I'll admit it's very liberating.  I just don't understand why people back home in Cleveland don't get it.  After all, y'all seem to have no problem riding the subway when you come visit.  Why the disparity?

I just don't understand why people back home in Cleveland don't get it.  After all, y'all seem to have no problem riding the subway when you come visit.  Why the disparity?

 

I've noticed this too. People from Cleveland who have no problem using rapid transit in other cities, but never use it back home. I offer a few reasons:

 

1. As a tourist in a city you don't know the roads, parking situation, will be more apt to getting lost, and you often don't even have a car. Public transit is viewed as more practical by tourists for this reason, even if they don't necessarily like it.

2. In cities like Cleveland that doesn't have much tourism or transit-oriented developments, there is little incentive to see the transit lifestyle. So a stigma persists that in places like Cleveland that its rapid transit is for poor people who cannot afford to commute and get around by car. People then think public transit might be dangerous to ride, because of the passengers.

3. You have to admit that the roadway system in Cleveland are better planned  than other cities, and parking lots are much more abundant and cheap. Road congestion and high parking costs are not a factor that would persuade people to use rapid transit.

 

Cleveland needs more tourists using the rapid, transit-oriented developments, and it needs to rid itself of the stigma and cheap parking lots. I think only then will you see people using rapid transit to its fullest and choosing not to use a car to get around.

I think the stigma is the one factor that takes care of itself, once you start getting more "choice" riders due to TOD, congestion, lack of cheap parking, etc.  What RTA might be interested in, is that even in cities with good rail transit, bus riders still tend to carry a stigma.  Often times when I ride the bus, especially on weekends, I am definitely in the minority as an educated white male.

Often times when I ride the bus, especially on weekends, I am definitely in the minority as an educated white male.

 

I am not sure what you mean by educated.  The white part I think I get, though I tend to get pretty dark in the summer.  Are you inferring that there are a lot of  females on the bus?  Beauteous!

Where transit is available and operated well, the people find an amazing ability to adapt to that transit lifestyle.  I know quite a few 20-and-30-somethings who don't own cars, simply because they're not needed.  There are others who would love nothing more than to dispose of their vehicles.   

 

Our geography is based almost entirely on the Metro map in lieu of addresses, as in, "I live by Capitol South."  Entire social schedules, like bar hopping nights, are planned along subway lines (or bus routes).  Advertisements for bars, restaurants, theaters, salons, etc, almost always advertise the closest Metro station.  Most places beyond the reach of the Metro aren't even worth going anyway, so why bother?

 

I'll admit it's very liberating.  I just don't understand why people back home in Cleveland don't get it.  After all, y'all seem to have no problem riding the subway when you come visit.  Why the disparity?

 

interesting, it would be nice if it could be that way in cleveland. maybe it will be someday if they push tod and smarter expansion. its funny, in ny nobody pays attention to the metro map stops. to go anywhere you talk about the nabe/street/address just like anywhere else. its your business how you get there, talk about it just leads to some pretty silly discussions and disagreements re whats quicker. the expectation is that the mta will get you there. thats the next level i guess.

 

After reading both reports, one thing in particular bothers me: RTA is not innovating, but only operating. 

 

What is RTA doing around environmental air quality?  Cleveland continues to not meet air standards (i realize some of these have been revised downward).  But although this is one of RTA's 5 themes, it doesn't seem that any time is spent analyzing what the RTA fleet has done to reduce air pollution in north east ohio.  There are the normal "the new ECP buses will be emit 90% fewer particulates" statements.  But, 90% fewer than what?  a 1998 diesel bus?  CNG?  How about a chart showing how much each new "clean diesel" bus is actually saving vs. the bus being replaced?   Why does RTA continue to buy SUVs for supervisors?

 

Cleveland needs to get aggressive on this front and this is one area where RTA could lead, but it seems that the only consideration is upfront cost.  A diesel bus costs less, lets go with that.  BRT is cheaper upfront, so lets go with that.  I'd like to see a better cost/benefit analysis presented to the public on these projects/purchases.

 

Also, are there any plans to utilize biodiesel in the fleet? 

I stumbled across this on the Web and thought I'd post. It's a nice reminder that our rail system is pretty darn cool (though of course it could be a lot better). I have no idea when it was written. And yes, she gets some terminology wrong: Euclid Circle, Coventry Gardens, etc.

 

http://www.newcolonist.com/bestof.html

 

The Best of Our Towns

by Justine Smith

For the last two years, I have been in search of a city to live in. My partner and I made the decision to leave our hometown, Detroit, Michigan, and began researching on the Internet and by train, crisscrossing the country visiting cities that we thought would meet our criteria. We wanted a safe, clean, city with excellent public transit, and lots of jobs, culture and affordable housing. One of our goals was to live totally free of car ownership.

 

If we had been looking in most of Europe or Canada, we'd have our choice of half a dozen cities that fit the bill. Alas, we were looking in United States, where the neglect of our cities is reflected in urban blight, flight to the suburbs, and mediocre public transit. Despite the hype of the Chambers of Commerce across the land, we really haven't found any cities that meet all of these criteria in United States. If we were to believe the Tourist boards every city is "world class" or "revitalized." Admittedly, we have only visited about eight cities so our list is far from complete.

 

I've put together a list of what I found to be the best features of the cities we visited. If combined in one city, it would make for a great place. What follows is the best of what we have found so far in our visits to Buffalo, Chicago, Baltimore, New York City, Cleveland, New Orleans, Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Our main objective was to discover the features that we thought would be important for daily life in these cities. With that in mind, we made a point of riding the public transit, visiting and walking in neighborhoods, and doing our research before we went.

 

 

• 
  The downtown of New York or Chicago.
  The lakefront of Chicago
  The streetcar suburbs of Shaker Heights (Cleveland) and the Garden District (New Orleans)
  The neighborhood farmer's markets of Baltimore
  The 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica
  The intact art deco buildings of Buffalo
  The low crime rate of Toronto
  The affordable rents and real estate of Detroit, Cleveland, or New Orleans.
  The Euclid Circle area of Cleveland
  The clean and pleasant transit of Seattle and Cleveland
  As a transit rider, I look for some of the little things that make traveling by bus or train more pleasant and convenient for the rider - things like well designed shelters and clean, efficient rides.
  

 

I was particularly impressed with Cleveland's regard for the people who ride the transit. I think that one can tell a lot about the attitude towards transit by the places where people must wait for the bus or train. Some cities offer paltry shelters, often graffiti littered boxes in desolate areas. In Cleveland, the rail stations are gracefully designed, each one a pleasant, welcoming place to wait. Local rail riders transfer between trains at the beautifully restored Terminal Tower building where the rails converge. Riders can shop or eat at the bakeries and coffee shops before embarking on their train from the station on the lower level. All the downtown buses stop out in front of the building. While there for our four-day visit, we made a point of traveling everywhere by bus and train: to Euclid Circle, the West Side Market, Lakewood, Little Italy, Shaker Heights, the Theater District, and Coventry Gardens to name a few.

 

The drivers were all extremely helpful, as we were often hopelessly lost. I was impressed at how often the drivers went out of their way to help us--one even radioing ahead to ask another driver to wait for us so we could make our connection. Once, while we were coming back from a night on the town at the Warehouse District, the bus broke down on Euclid Avenue. I thought we were in for a long wait since it was past midnight on a Saturday night. However, within minutes a technician responded to the drivers radio call and after another three minutes had fixed the problem and we were on our way. Although the transit isn't as extensive as in some other cities, the cleanliness of the buses and trains as well as the courtesy of the drivers made riding it a pleasant experience. It would be something to look forward to rather than to dread riding on a daily basis. Cleveland spends $82 per capita on transit compared to Detroit which spends a pitiful $21 and Chicago which spends a respectable $62, and it shows. Unlike some cities that have recently cut transit, Cleveland is expanding theirs.

 

Another city that impressed me in its efforts to serve transit riders was Seattle. Although the area had voted down light rail, there is an extensive bus system. The transit authority seems to be making an effort to ensure a pleasant and safe trip for all passengers. Not only can Seattleites bring coffee on board when they ride, small pets are allowed as well. After 9 p.m. riders can request they be let off anywhere along the route, not just at designated stops. This policy is reassuring for those concerned with safety while riding at night.

 

Both cities have installed bike racks on many of the fleet and Cleveland allows bicycles on the trains at certain times of the day. These amenities may not cost much but go a long way in improving the quality of service.

 

I took a short bus ride on a warm fall day up Euclid Avenue to Euclid Circle which houses the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Botanical Gardens, and other cultural institutions. Majestically designed buildings sit on a gently sloping grass covered hills. After visiting the museums, we sat on a hillside overlooking a pond in this bucolic setting. There, one feels far removed from the bustle of city life. This pastoral setting is ideal for strolling from museum to museum, or just contemplating life. The area slopes down a little from Euclid Avenue creating a different feeling from museums that sit smack dab on a busy street with horns blasting and car fumes filling the air. An inexpensive mini bus circles the area, stopping at each of the major buildings. Unfortunately, it seemed emptier than one would expect on the day we visited. Someone told us later that Cleveland, a city built for one million people, now houses less the half a million, hence the sparseness of many areas. Sister Wendy found this art museum fit to be featured on her public broadcast of her favorite museums in the United States.

 

A hustling bustling downtown does not exist in Cleveland like it does in Chicago or New York. Chicago's downtown is filled not only with people working in the loop but a vibrant retail district as well. A strong retail presence downtown is now unfortunately rare in U.S. cities and towns. In New York and Chicago, department stores still adorn their windows with interesting displays during the holidays, ice skating is enjoyed in an outdoor rink with piped in music, and shoppers walk from store to store in the downtown districts.

 

The city of Chicago made a wise decision when it preserved so much of its lakefront for public use. Several beaches along the lake are busy with swimmers and sunbathers during the brief summer. The zoo in Lincoln Park is free. Some people might not like the lakefront because it is so crowded with people, but they are people out enjoying themselves and the beautiful lake. Bikers, walkers, skaters are out in force, especially during the warmer months, giving the lakefront area a lively appeal.

 

Chicago's rents might be considered reasonable by coastal standards but the average purchase price of a house in a neighborhood with good schools and low crime is around a quarter of a million or more, out of reach for many. Detroit on the other hand boasts some inexpensive housing. In neighborhoods within a mile or two of downtown Detroit, beautiful apartments with natural wood floors, built in cabinets, and bay windows can be had for well under $700 a month. Apartments in poorer condition are available for under $500. Modest well-kept three bedroom houses in Hamtramck go for $70,000 on the average. (Hamtramck is a small city within the city of Detroit where a lot of artists and recent immigrants live). Inexpensive flats can be found in the Ohio City area of Cleveland. So many young adults want to live in cities like Chicago and Boston, which have wonderful parks, cultural life, and jobs. Demand drives the prices up. If all our cities were truly vital, perhaps prices would level out since the demand wouldn't be so great in just a few areas.

 

Although Baltimore struggles with poverty and a high crime rate, the sense of community I've felt in many of its distinctive neighborhoods seemed almost palpable. Several neighborhoods have their own farmer's market, which serve as gathering spots for the local residents. Some of them even have bars that are open evening hours.

 

I cannot find any large city in the United States that has a very low crime rate, so I will name Toronto as the ideal. As a nation we've come to accept crime as a fact of life in our cities, and our media bombards us with horror stories on the 6 o'clock news. Meanwhile, we are told we have reason to be optimistic because crime has fallen in the last fifteen years or so. New York and others have made remarkable progress in driving down the crime rate by combining quality of life issues with aggressive policing. Compared to any city in Canada, though, we have no reason for jubilation. The proliferation of violent crime and the destruction of the fabric of city life that goes along with it are just unacceptable, or should be.

 

Streetcar suburbs grew along the rail lines and had several features in common. The area near the stop was rich in retail so that when passengers disembarked they could shop before heading home. The Garden District in New Orleans is an example of this type of development, with retail along Charles Avenue and large homes built close to the sidewalk within a short walk. Several blocks away sit more modest cottage style homes, still within easy walking distance of the streetcar stop.

 

Shaker Heights, a planned streetcar suburb in Cleveland, is still served by heavy rail. The central retail area has recently been redeveloped with a bookstore, movie theater, and several restaurants. Within a short walk of the rail stop is a mix of housing which includes apartments, townhouses and single family houses, all accessible to transit riders.