C-Tran To Cease Operation March 2010 (Atlanta, Lovejoy: unemployment, military, law)

[Mattie]

We flew into Atlanta tonight. We were standing outside the terminal when a C-Tran bus pulled in at 10:15 or so. There were many people getting off, who appeared to be airport employees. There was also a line to get on the bus. This isn't a service that can disappear without a serious impact. It was apparent that many were using it as a means to get to jobs.

[obanks]

O, where do i even begin.... This is a top reason to never ever ever move to Georgia... This is totally insane and unheard of...Where have you ever saw a major city or a metro county of a major city just decide to shut down a transit system and act like it is ok no matter what the cost are... Are these people crazy...You couldnt even think about doing anything like that in Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Miami, DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, hmmm, where do i even stop... This is mass histeria...Not just the county voting this down but the state letting it happen.. O i forgot it was just few months back the state was about to let MARTA fail, the back bone of city...This is pothetic and truely a Georgia problem..Georgia wont give one red cent to mass transit but they can sure build and pave these roads. These people can care less about the Citizens or the environment.. O to contradict them selves even further, they can care less about the unemployment rate in the state...This thing with transit has to stop and has to be made to stop now!!! In a Metro area with over 5,000,000 people your telling me its ok to cut another transit line...We didnt have enough in the first place and this state has been talking about commuter rail for years and not one effort has been put in place to really make this a reality, just hog wash talk about some side walk, park, and transit project though downtown or something..You got to be kidding me. The state put the xpress buses in place to cover up there displeasue for commuter rail and to get peoples minds off certain types of transit...Georgia need to be boycoted....I hope this transit issue really gets blown up after this clayton issue and turns not just from a local issue but to a national issue. Atlanta is a Major Metro Area, not some small town... This just can not happen...People have to get to work. I hope these smart clayton county commissioners, state rep., gov, etc. have some back up plans after March 2010 to provide some type of mass transit or even support getting Marta running in clayton because what they are trying to let happen in a county of a major city will not due...There should be some kind of Federal Mandiated Fine put on any state that does not support or cuts transit but supports road building especially when the are population is over 2,000,000, not just just deny federal monies... Some one needs to be loosing sleep over this issue and it shouldnt be the citizens of clayton worrying if they are going to have a way to work or school...If you are reading this and you are from out of state dont move to Georgia, you will loose one way or the other... wont get into the politics, but you will loose...

[wxjay]

Originally Posted by obanks

O, where do i even begin....

First, find the "Enter" or "Return" key and use paragraphs. Second, please check your spelling.

Thanks.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by obanks

O, where do i even begin.... This is a top reason to never ever ever move to Georgia... This is totally insane and unheard of...Where have you ever saw a major city or a metro county of a major city just decide to shut down a transit system and act like it is ok no matter what the cost are... Are these people crazy...You couldnt even think about doing anything like that in Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Miami, DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, hmmm, where do i even stop... This is mass histeria...Not just the county voting this down but the state letting it happen.. O i forgot it was just few months back the state was about to let MARTA fail, the back bone of city...This is pothetic and truely a Georgia problem..Georgia wont give one red cent to mass transit but they can sure build and pave these roads. These people can care less about the Citizens or the environment.. O to contradict them selves even further, they can care less about the unemployment rate in the state...This thing with transit has to stop and has to be made to stop now!!! In a Metro area with over 5,000,000 people your telling me its ok to cut another transit line...We didnt have enough in the first place and this state has been talking about commuter rail for years and not one effort has been put in place to really make this a reality, just hog wash talk about some side walk, park, and transit project though downtown or something..You got to be kidding me. The state put the xpress buses in place to cover up there displeasue for commuter rail and to get peoples minds off certain types of transit...Georgia need to be boycoted....I hope this transit issue really gets blown up after this clayton issue and turns not just from a local issue but to a national issue. Atlanta is a Major Metro Area, not some small town... This just can not happen...People have to get to work. I hope these smart clayton county commissioners, state rep., gov, etc. have some back up plans after March 2010 to provide some type of mass transit or even support getting Marta running in clayton because what they are trying to let happen in a county of a major city will not due...There should be some kind of Federal Mandiated Fine put on any state that does not support or cuts transit but supports road building especially when the are population is over 2,000,000, not just just deny federal monies... Some one needs to be loosing sleep over this issue and it shouldnt be the citizens of clayton worrying if they are going to have a way to work or school...If you are reading this and you are from out of state dont move to Georgia, you will loose one way or the other... wont get into the politics, but you will loose...

You obviously aren't very familiar with transit systems across the country. Budget problems are everywhere, and this is not an unusual situtation - are you familiar with the state of the economy? There is no need to be so dramatic about it! Besides, it hasn't happened yet and I don't believe it will happen.

Here are a couple of examples in your favorite cities:

Chicago:
Mass-transit 'doomsday' looms yet again - Chicago Tribune

San Francisco:
Transit agencies reel from budget cuts

[obanks]

Not to sound overly dramatic, but its a very real need for concern... People lively hoods are at stake... I dont ride transit on a needy basis, but you have to sometimes put yourself in other peoples shoes... Transit is a very real need, not a want... Thanks for the positive criticism and opinion...

[obanks]

Cuts are possible due to budget issues, but to shut down a whole Transit System and leave people stranded.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by obanks

Cuts are possible due to budget issues, but to shut down a whole Transit System and leave people stranded.

You are aware that there are entire rail lines in Chicago, Philly, etc. that have been shut down and abandoned over the years, right?

Not saying that is right either, but to suggest people start boycotting Georgia over this situation is more than a little disingenous.

[obanks]

Yes I am aware of the Ells of CTA and the Trains of SEPTA being abandoned over the years...Im sure there are tons in NY. Thats a totaly different beast in its self.. Those were old rail lines in real old cities where other bus lines and new rails help to cover needs. Were talking about an entire suburban bus system here not old rail lines of a huge Mass Transit system where the system will never go any where. People in those cities can go down a block or two and catch the next CTA, SEPTA bus or etc. to make up for the loss.. They are trying to shut down an entire transit system here...This is a very big deal....You cant water this one down...

[Mgyeldell]

Originally Posted by obanks

Yes I am aware of the Ells of CTA and the Trains of SEPTA being abandoned over the years...Im sure there are tons in NY. Thats a totaly different beast in its self.. Those were old rail lines in real old cities where other bus lines and new rails help to cover needs. Were talking about an entire suburban bus system here not old rail lines of a huge Mass Transit system where the system will never go any where. People in those cities can go down a block or two and catch the next CTA, SEPTA bus or etc. to make up for the loss.. They are trying to shut down an entire transit system here...This is a very big deal....You cant water this one down...

So true this issue does not need to be watered down. I hope a alternative happens before March

[obanks]

Believe me thats exactly what some people want it to do, get watered down till next March.....hmmmm