Uh, yeah... The Rapid runs seven days a week, 20 hours a day, with airport-downtown bus service in the four hours that the rapid doesn't run. Been that way for 40 years. I don't see it suddenly stopping tomorrow.

"yes" would have worked also :D

 

I didn't know if they ran a "holiday" schedule or not

"yes" would have worked also :D

 

I didn't know if they ran a "holiday" schedule or not

 

Punch, but asking."is there is a "holiday" schedule in affect?" is very different than asking, "is the train running tomorrow?" 

 

KJP, answered correctly.  I too wondered why you would ask that. 

"I never suggested the gripe wasn't legitimate. I was merely responding to the implication that the scheduled time was in some way wrong. Keep in mind, any intersection of two roads could have as many as 8 points that might be described using the same street name pair (are you traveling north, south, east, or west, and is your stop before or after the intersection?)."

 

Except in this case, there's only one actual bus shelter (the right arrow points right at it) in this vicinity, and that's ALWAYS been used for the northbound "West 14th/Clark" stop. Riders have been accustomed to that shelter being the location for the northbound scheduled times. Across the street (treelawn by Gas City) has ALWAYS been the southbound "West 14th/Clark" stop, and that's what RTA has established for riders for decades to use as their point of reference.

 

Why on god's green earth would anyone with a modicum of common sense say "well, we've built a shelter and it's been THE location that riders have learned to schedule their lives around for decades - but f#ck it, let's just arbitrarily say 'oh, silly riders - we meant the other side of the street about a block down where that little sign is, and oh the bus is just looping through Steelyard and depending on rush hour traffic, the time listed might be off by ohhh, 15-20 minutes''?!? WTF were they thinking?!?

 

But what do I know - technically, the schedule is "right". :roll:

Well, technically the world could end tomorrow, causing the Red line to fail to operate, but somehow I don't imagine that the people on UrbanOhio would have more insight into the world ending than average.

Ah, you want to know if a holiday schedule is in effect! Why, yes! There is! The Sunday schedule is the holiday schedule....

 

http://www.riderta.com/schedules/rt66su.html

Ah, you want to know if a holiday schedule is in effect! Why, yes! There is! The Sunday schedule is the holiday schedule....

 

http://www.riderta.com/schedules/rt66su.html

 

Damn you KJP, I was setting this up to get to that point.  That why RTA has a website that list the days there will be changes to the schedule.  The website is the first place I would have looked.

Haha, beat ya to it.

 

I know, but I realize some people like to ask others for information. I don't. I'd rather find out the information for myself from an official source.

"I never suggested the gripe wasn't legitimate. I was merely responding to the implication that the scheduled time was in some way wrong. Keep in mind, any intersection of two roads could have as many as 8 points that might be described using the same street name pair (are you traveling north, south, east, or west, and is your stop before or after the intersection?)."

 

Except in this case, there's only one actual bus shelter (the right arrow points right at it) in this vicinity, and that's ALWAYS been used for the northbound "West 14th/Clark" stop. Riders have been accustomed to that shelter being the location for the northbound scheduled times. Across the street (treelawn by Gas City) has ALWAYS been the southbound "West 14th/Clark" stop, and that's what RTA has established for riders for decades to use as their point of reference.

 

Why on god's green earth would anyone with a modicum of common sense say "well, we've built a shelter and it's been THE location that riders have learned to schedule their lives around for decades - but f#ck it, let's just arbitrarily say 'oh, silly riders - we meant the other side of the street about a block down where that little sign is, and oh the bus is just looping through Steelyard and depending on rush hour traffic, the time listed might be off by ohhh, 15-20 minutes''?!? WTF were they thinking?!?

 

But what do I know - technically, the schedule is "right". :roll:

 

dude, self-pity much? what part of "it's certainly a point I'll raise with our scheduling & planning folks" did you miss? I'm on your side here, please don't make me out to be an RTA apologist, whether they provide my paycheck or not...

 

and to tack on a response to ksonic99, no, the elimination of the circulators didn't happen, thanks to eleventh-hour intervention by the Governor prompting NOACA to allocate unused CMAQ funds, but our system-wide planning can't turn on a dime; we had to proceed as if the circulators would be eliminated, and there's still a chance, unless further permanent funding becomes available, that the decision to eliminate those routes will need to be put in place

 

I do not have specific numbers at this time, and ridership numbers on the #81 taken now would be holiday-skewed anyway, but that's not to say that I won't ask those questions; asking them, however, is NOT my primary responsibility, and obtaining a response will take time

 

keep in mind, folks, Jerry and I are not the decision-makers on many (any?) of the issues being raised, we can only facilitate getting answers

Took the 246 from Westlake this morning.  I was the only passneger on the 50+ seat bus.  Has RTA ever considered a modified schedule on the day after Thanksgiving?  The 246, for instance, runs every 8 minutes from 7:20 to 8:00.  5 or less may have been on each of those busses this morning.

 

The driver told me he would run the route even if I was not on the bus, per policy.

RTA's airport line is reliable, cheap ... and not very busy

Cleveland Plain Dealer

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/12/rtas_airport_line_is_reliable.html

 

It's cheap, reliable and fast.

 

But the RTA rapid that whisks riders from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to downtown in 20 minutes -- for $2 -- has an identity problem.

 

..........

 

On the radio this morning (WNWV-107.3 FM), the news guy reported "The downtown-to-airport line carries only 300 people per day." Actually it carries 20,000 people per day. But only 300 people get on/off at the airport station. I love the media's attention to details....

Still surprising to me that only 300 people use this awesome resource everyday.  Let's see... drive to the airport, fight traffic, find a parking spot, get shuttled to the gate and pay $40 when you get back from your trip OR pay $4 round trip to get dropped off inside the airport.

 

I don't understand why more people don't use this option.  Just a stigma?  Misinformation?  Do they just not know?

i think a big part of it is that only a limited amount of people live close enough to the Rapid to make it "easy".  Most people are unlikely to drive, park in an unsecured parking lot, and then take the train to the airport - just isn't too convienient for the majority of people.

 

I would imagine if there were secure parking garages at some of the Rapid stops - that more people would be inclined to leave their cars parked for x amount of days. 

That's exactly the reason, lewarctj. What is surprising is that more people arriving at Hopkins from other cities aren't using it. When I see taxis on I-71 from the airport to downtown, and that taxi has only one or two fares in it, I shake my head.

Good reason to be extending the Rapid Red Line into suburbs further West to capture more of that airport traffic.

I think another big driver of the low ridership number is that a large chunk of travelers are businesspeople, who do not personally pay for parking or taxis.  In general, they care little about the cost, and it is not a motivating factor.

 

Also, 300 feels a little low to me.  I use it on virtually every trip I take and I *feel* like more people are getting off at the airport with me.  But I suppose that over an entire day, that total number may be accurate. 

 

It's definitely true that a majority of riders seems to be airport employees.  They're either wearing a uniform (TSA, CAL, etc.) and/or they don't carry any bags.

i think a big part of it is that only a limited amount of people live close enough to the Rapid to make it "easy".  Most people are unlikely to drive, park in an unsecured parking lot, and then take the train to the airport - just isn't too convienient for the majority of people.

 

I would imagine if there were secure parking garages at some of the Rapid stops - that more people would be inclined to leave their cars parked for x amount of days. 

Its easy to me.  I can go from Harlem to Shaker all on public transporation in 3 hours in 40 minutes. ;D

 

I think RTA should build Long Term Parking garages at some stations.  Build that fare into a pass and add revenue.

 

I think another big driver of the low ridership number is that a large chunk of travelers are businesspeople, who do not personally pay for parking or taxis.  In general, they care little about the cost, and it is not a motivating factor.

 

Also, 300 feels a little low to me.  I use it on virtually every trip I take and I *feel* like more people are getting off at the airport with me.  But I suppose that over an entire day, that total number may be accurate. 

 

It's definitely true that a majority of riders seems to be airport employees.  They're either wearing a uniform (TSA, CAL, etc.) and/or they don't carry any bags.

 

I agree I think there are more people riding Im usually on the first RL train and its packed, granted as you state, most are airport employees.

 

Part of the problem is that people don't know the "rapid" exists.  We got to market it as "the train" outside of the city and RTA needs to work with Continental and SouthWest to market the service the same way Continental does with the newark AirTran station.

Good reason to be extending the Rapid Red Line into suburbs further West to capture more of that airport traffic.

:wtf:  To boost airport station ridership to 450? 

 

I'm all for train service through Rocky River, Bay etc and Parma, Berea, Stronsgville etc, but that would not be justified because of the Airport connection by any stretch.

 

They need to market RTA more, but that takes cash...

If we build a garage for long-term parking, does that not give us an unfair advantage over people whose sole income is parking revenue for the airport? I like the idea, I just know of many who will cry foul.

Good reason to be extending the Rapid Red Line into suburbs further West to capture more of that airport traffic.

 

The suburbs have told us they don't want the Rapid in their city, and if they don't want it, the feds are not going to pay for it.

Let them cry.  I'm sure at one point there was only ONE airport parking place, and then new ones cropped up, yes? 

They need to market RTA more, but that takes cash...

 

I wonder how much more cash it would really take .. or what they could do with the cash they have now?

 

I don't think it would take anything massive or supremely drastic. Maybe it would and I'm just being naive. But even just improving signage, which was discussed a while ago .. maybe one of the problems is visitors to Cleveland don't know what the Rapid is? Is there anything in travel literature that lets people know about the Rapid connection to downtown? That type of thing.

 

I personally think the Airport Rapid could be a major selling point that it might not be right now. Off the top of my head, outside of Chicago, I can't think of a major city that has a direct airport connection to its rail line like that. That's a huge asset, in my opinion.

Took the 246 from Westlake this morning. I was the only passneger on the 50+ seat bus. Has RTA ever considered a modified schedule on the day after Thanksgiving?

 

Yes, we have. Christmas Eve falls into the same category. Not a full work day, but not a holiday either. Various scenarios have been tried over the years, but nothing has been settled on as a permanent solution.

Most people are unlikely to drive, park in an unsecured parking lot, and then take the train to the airport - just isn't too convenient for the majority of people.

Not to mention, parking overnight at an RTA lot is against the rules...

Took the 246 from Westlake this morning. I was the only passneger on the 50+ seat bus. Has RTA ever considered a modified schedule on the day after Thanksgiving?

 

Yes, we have. Christmas Eve falls into the same category. Not a full work day, but not a holiday either. Various scenarios have been tried over the years, but nothing has been settled on as a permanent solution.

Thanks, Jerry.  In my experience, those are the two days a year where ridership just disappears despite not being an official holiday.  New Years Eve is a distant 3rd.  Probably why I have worked those 3 days the last 10 years...near private ride in and out and rare quietness withing the cubicle farm...

OK, forgive the very practical question, but anyone know where exactly on Euclid (East of MLK) one can one pick up the 48/48A southbound to Shaker Square?  Were the old stops moved around as part of the Health Line station build?  Are there stops on Adelbert?  I'm trying to help a visitor who is in Cleveland today and would prefer not to walk all the way to the Cedar rapid station.  Thanks!

Yes, the 48 does go down Adelbert.  To catch it heading to SS, stand on the Case side of the street (as opposed to the Rainbow/UH side.)

^Thanks!  You recall where exactly on Adelbert the stop is?  I know it's easy enough to look at the sign, but the visitor is not terribly transit savvy.

I believe it's in front of this building:

 

^Awesome, thanks.  I just called the visitor to advise as to bus stop location and she had already walked up to Cedar Fairmount because it was so sunny and was well on her way to her destination.  I wish I had that kind of energy.

My latest column...

 

Officials taking away freedom by not supporting public transit

Write of Way

Ken Prendergast

 

Last month, I lost my ability to take public transit to and from work. Now, someone who sees me commuting will mistake me for some Americans who love to drive no matter what. Instead, I'm one of those Americans who must drive for lack of an alternative. In other words, I've lost part of my freedom.

 

So in the true spirit of America, who do I blame? Do I blame the money-sucking Euclid Corridor as U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-10, would have me believe? Or do I blame the union-acquiescing Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, as state legislators in Columbus would have me do?

 

Actually, I blame state and federal legislators. To find out why, let's look at the national transit situation.

 

Two-thirds of all U.S. transit agencies in 2008 were implementing fare increases, service cuts or both, according to the trade group American Public Transit Association. Not all of the agencies had big capital construction projects like the Euclid Corridor. And RTA’s labor costs aren't out of line, though many labor rules do need more flexibility.

 

Transit agencies were faced with fuel price spikes of 166 percent in 2008. Meanwhile, many agencies are over-reliant on local sales or property taxes to fund their operating costs. Those taxes were flat or falling in 2008.

 

Seventy percent of RTA's budget, for example, is funded by a countywide sales tax which produced flat revenues in 2008 compared to the year before. Even though ridership rose again, fares failed to keep up with fuel costs which rose much faster.

 

But there was a common thread among transit agencies nationwide that kept fares low and bus/rail routes intact: it was a transit-supportive state government. Ohio wasn't one of those states. It spent just $18 million on transit statewide last year. Meanwhile our neighboring states each provide hundreds of millions of dollars.

 

Consider New York state. In Rochester, a city with a stagnant economy like Cleveland's, the Genesee Regional Transportation Authority reduced fares from $1.25 to $1 on Sept. 1 thanks to a doubling of state funding from $16 million in 2004 to $32.8 million this year, according to a Sept. 14 article in the New York Times.

 

In other words, Rochester, N.Y. (2007 population: 206,759) gets nearly twice the transit funding from New York State than Ohio divides among all 60 transit agencies in a state of 11 million people.

 

If Ohio provided similar funding support, RTA could reduce fares and possibly expand services. Instead, the state is likely cut more than 5 percent from the transit budget next year. So get ready for more RTA service cuts and fare hikes in 2009.

 

That's not happening in Ithaca, N.Y. Instead, increased state funding allowed that city's transit agency, the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, to reduce fares from $1.50 to 50 cents during off-peak hours, resulting in ridership increases of 33 percent, the Ithaca Journal reported on Aug. 23.

 

It wasn't "generous" federal funding support that made the difference. In fact, the federal government hasn't given operating money since 1998 to transit agencies in cities having populations greater than 200,000 people.

 

Yet Kucinich saw fit to call for a federal investigation of RTA's financial decision-making. The investigation is underway — I know, because I was called by the Chicago Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Transportation to give input.

 

In full disclosure, I was recently named interim executive director of a citizens transit advocacy group called All Aboard Ohio.

 

I'll tell you all what I told the inspector general's office: that if Kucinich and state legislators cared as much about the transit-riding public as they do about generating headlines in an election year, then we would have no need for this federal investigation.

 

The sad part is, I believe Kucinich does care about the transit-riding public. So do many state legislators. They just haven't taken the time to understand the economics behind the decisions to provide or deny transit service.

 

When told the reasons, legislators sometimes choose to dismiss them — often because insufficient funding is a big reason. Increasingly in America, it seems we want nice things but don't want to pay for them.

 

All I can do is to encourage our elected officials to get some perspective. Discover the differentiating factors between the few transit agencies which aren't cutting service/raising fares versus those that are. In my opinion, that's a much more productive "investigation" to pursue.

Last month, I lost my ability to take public transit to and from work.

To be fair to RTA and Sun readers, that is not true. 

 

There is still service between your corner of Lakewood and Lorain Rd in North Olmsted, either via the 75 that still runs 4 times each morning and evening, or the 55-Red Line-75 connection that runs other times.

Not true. Transit is no longer an usuable alternative to me.

 

The #75 runs through to/from downtown via my home near the Gold Coast at times that I'm not traveling to North Olmsted. It has only four buses in the afternoon from downtown to North Olmsted, and four buses in the morning from North Olmsted to downtown. There would have to be some reverse-rush hour schedules for me to be able to use that.

 

As for the 55-Red Line-75 connection, the 55 doesn't connect with the Red Line.

 

Now I could take the #50 or the downgraded Lakewood Circulator to the West 117th Rapid station where I could connect to the #52 or the Red Line to connect with the #75 at various points along Lorain (from the #52) or at the West Park Rapid Station (from the Red Line). But that requires two transfers and involves at least one leg of the trip with bus services running every 30-60 minutes.

 

Previously, when I had a one-seat ride to/from work, the bus would take anywhere from 45 to 55 minutes to get out to North Olmsted when I could drive it in 20. But at least it was a one-seat ride. Now, assuming all the bus/rail connections work well, it will take me a minimum of 70 minutes each way.

 

Now you see why I didn't describe this situation? It is too complicated, too lengthy and would detract from the message of the piece.

 

And while a transit link does remain, it is usuable only by those who cannot afford a choice in how they travel and must use transit as an option of last resort. I cannot support that model and cannot use such a downgraded service. However, since I can afford a car and because my time is that important to me, I cannot afford to take transit to work any more.

 

I'm sure no one else cares about this, but there it is.

As for the 55-Red Line-75 connection, the 55 doesn't connect with the Red Line.

A bus that stops on Public Square is not considered connected to the Red Line?  I guess I am not up to speed on defining a "connection".

And while a transit link does remain, it is usuable only by those who cannot afford a choice in how they travel and must use transit as an option of last resort. I cannot support that model and cannot use such a downgraded service. However, since I can afford a car and because my time is that important to me, I cannot afford to take transit to work any more.

Unfortuantely for transit supporters, a vast majority of people in this country feel the same way. :(

Oh, and

Now you see why I didn't describe this situation? It is too complicated, too lengthy and would detract from the message of the piece.

I agree.  The message is important and the article very good.

A bus that stops on Public Square is not considered connected to the Red Line? I guess I am not up to speed on defining a "connection".

 

To go from Lakewood to Olmstead via Public Square is like going from Detroit to Youngstown via Chicago (hello Amtrak!).  It may be a "connection" but it goes so many miles in the opposite direction that it's pointless.

 

It's not too slow since much of that 55 trip would be on the Shoreway with no stops.

As for the 55-Red Line-75 connection, the 55 doesn't connect with the Red Line.

A bus that stops on Public Square is not considered connected to the Red Line?  I guess I am not up to speed on defining a "connection".

 

Why would I travel 20 minutes east on a bus, then 15 minutes west on a rapid transit train to reach a station that I can walk to in 20 minutes? Yes, technically that's a connection, just like technically dirt is edible. But would you do both every day? And in the 20 minutes I can walk to the West 117th station, I could be at work if I drove.

 

The issue isn't whether there is transit service available. Even people who live in the exurbs have some transit service available. But it runs every hour or only during rush hours one direction. The issue is whether there is driving-competitive transit service available. People aren't altruistic. They will use something only if it benefits them. And the only way we can make transit a mode of choice is to invest more money into it.

 

Think about this.... The average car owner spends $6,000 to $8,000 per year on owning and operating a car, plus $1,000s in property taxes, fees and other costs to subsidize car-friendly land use patterns.

 

You are likely to spend only a couple hundred dollars per year on sales taxes to support RTA and, if you are a pass holder, you're spending less than $1,000 per year for your passes. Even if we merely doubled that sales tax amount, it would be a pittance compared to the subsidy we put toward driving. But it could allow Greater Cleveland to have an incredibly extensive transit system with much more frequent and/or faster services like the park-n-ride flyers, upgraded mainline bus routes, frequent circulators and the Rapid lines.

 

We'll get there.....

The west shoreway at rush hour?  Sometimes it's all stops.  Things have opened up some with additional lanes on the innerbelt, but for the past month it's been hit or miss.  If you miss, you're on the shoreway for a long time.

I don't suppose there's any way to change the times you go to/from work so it coincides better with the bus?  I don't know the 75's schedule any longer but I assume the times it runs more frequently are when 8-5 types are generally commuting to/from work and that you don't currently have hours that coincide with that.  Is there a chance of changing your hours so that it does overlap with the bus?

KJP, I like your article, and I'm sorry that you don't have a reasonable transit option available anymore.

I have a feeling the article was written is to put pressure on elected officials.

 

The readers should get the hint, that they need to ask their elected officials to better subsidize transportation options.

Thanks. Not your fault though (IS IT??? :evil: ). Ironically, my job is getting moved to Valley View in January and I will have "better" transit to get there.

Is Sun moving out of North Olmsted?

Officially? Nope. :)

:?What circulators are necessary?( I am from Niles and hardly get to Cleveland.) Do they have to be more frequent than an hour? Do they need to be big or small vehicles?

Are you asking for information as a potential user of the Circulators in Cleveland, or are you asking for information such as how to plan routes, etc?

As to my #3531 post,I was interested in how the routes should be planned and etc.

How the routes should be planned and etc. in Cleveland? Or another city?