The ATL: new regional transit system (Atlanta, Columbus: centers, assess, safety)

[primaltech]

First of all, how about MARTA greatly improve the quality and usefulness of the bus system, that they already have. With the buses and drivers and assets and funds that they already have. Instead of stretching everything out so thin as they do, to try to get as many routes and bus stops as possible. Their strategy is stupid.

1. Take the # of routes they currently run, and divide that by 3. Only keep the key routes, with the highest ridership. (And try to space that out evenly across the service area, so every area gets at least 1 route.) Just doing that alone would triple the bus frequency on all routes, using the existing fleet of buses.

2. Take the # of stops on each of those routes, and divide that by 3 as well. Delete 2 out of every 3 stops. Then take all the MARTA bus shelters from all the closed routes and stops, and give every stop left in the entire system a nice shelter.

With the money and bus fleet they have now, they could have a super high quality system that runs rapid, frequent, quality bus service, to nothing but high quality bus stops with shelters. 5-10 minute bus frequency during peak, PLUS the bus would be a much faster and smoother ride, with 2/3 fewer stops.

Talk to me once those strategic changes are made with what exists, then I'll agree that's a bus system that all the tax money should be poured into adding more routes.

Quality first, quality always, should be the focus. Then, quantity. That's just my view.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Gulch

It's an anti-rail "do it as cheap as possible" narrative that doesn't work.

Au contraire, Gulch.

Unlike some, I don't see sleek, modern CNG $500,000 buses as inferior at all. They are good looking, efficient and ready to deploy. They can penetrate deeply into neighborhoods for last mile connectivity. Their routes can be readily modified to keep up with demographic, employment and ridership patterns. It's easy to link them with our extensive heavy rail system. They are far more cost effective for low density areas like Atlanta, as opposed to extremely high cost fixed rail.

There's no reason whatsoever that buses can't use off board fare collection, boarding platforms and attractive shelters. They can utilize arrival information boards and mobile apps. They are adaptable to special demand situations such as concerts and sporting events. They can be chartered for excursions and VIP travel. And the list goes on.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

They can operate higher capacity with lower expenses, which is needed for the core metro.

Lack of capacity is not the problem here. How many people in the ATL are prevented from using transit because they are unable to get a seat on a bus or a train?

And the notion that we can build rail and the expenses stop simply isn't correct. All our trains have operators, they require mechanics, inspectors, dispatchers and controllers, electricians, huge car barns, police officers, cleaners, track maintenance, station repair, spare parts, switching yards, and on and on.

Remember it was just a few years that MARTA said it had a maintenance backlog of over $500 million.

[cqholt]

I am so glad we have experienced transit planners on CD to tell MARTA how bad their screwing up and fix the issues.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

I am so glad we have experienced transit planners on CD to tell MARTA how bad their screwing up and fix the issues.

I'd tell MARTA what I told Norfolk Southern, ignore me unless you want your trains goin to space!

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

I am so glad we have experienced transit planners on CD to tell MARTA how bad their screwing up and fix the issues.

I'm sure MARTA reads this forum regularly to stay up to date on the latest concepts and outside the box thinking.

[Othello Is Here]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

They can operate higher capacity with lower expenses, which is needed for the core metro.

Rail is far more expensive to run than bus systems.
Its a fact that none ever actually generate enough money to be profitable because they are so expensive to run as well as maintain.
Thats the very reason MARTA in the past has had trouble getting funds due to the way the laws were set up but has since been changed.

[bfarley30]

There are a lot of "pro transit" people here that don't even have there facts straights. And a lot of "anti-transit" people that just sound stupid.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I'm sure MARTA reads this forum regularly to stay up to date on the latest concepts and outside the box thinking.

Yes KP is really Mike Honcho, just stirring it up.

[AcidSnake]

So in other words, the good ol' boys are simply reintroducing Roy Barnes's idea...but rebranding it under the Republican umbrella of something new.

Would have worked if the State political leadership as of late wasn't so bent on sticking it to the urban core governments. Too much political eye-poking can lead to some very harsh feelings.

So in theory combining transit agencies make sense. But the political realities simply make it D-O-A.

These clowns currently running the state government might as well turn to discussing a rebranding of Sonny's "Go-Fish" initiative.