Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Seriously? Only 14,000 people per day ride it according to the latest APTA ridership figures. Phoenix gets 40k people per day. And didn't Charlotte recently shut down their streetcar line? Also Charlotte bus ridership is really low. Only 68k people per day. How successful can light rail be without a bus system to be the backbone?
I haven't ridden Charlotte's light rail and I have ridden Phoenix's but IMO Phoenix wins this easily.
Thanks for posting these numbers. Apparently that's too hard for some others to do, so they'd rather make faulty assumptions based on their...nothingness.
Seriously? Only 14,000 people per day ride it according to the latest APTA ridership figures. Phoenix gets 40k people per day. And didn't Charlotte recently shut down their streetcar line? Also Charlotte bus ridership is really low. Only 68k people per day. How successful can light rail be without a bus system to be the backbone?
I haven't ridden Charlotte's light rail and I have ridden Phoenix's but IMO Phoenix wins this easily.
Uh...yes, seriously. The line has been a catalyst for a slew of developments along the corridor. Considering the size of the two cities and the lengths of both lines, it's really no surprise Phoenix gets more riders. People have definitely embraced the Light rail here. I never said that Phoenix hasn't. Oh, and no Charlotte didn't shut down a streetcar line....we were just approved federal funding for one.
Seriously? Only 14,000 people per day ride it according to the latest APTA ridership figures. Phoenix gets 40k people per day. And didn't Charlotte recently shut down their streetcar line? Also Charlotte bus ridership is really low. Only 68k people per day. How successful can light rail be without a bus system to be the backbone?
I haven't ridden Charlotte's light rail and I have ridden Phoenix's but IMO Phoenix wins this easily.
Phoenix should have WAY higher ridership than Charlotte, having more than twice the population and double the miles of track. A better gauge of transit use is ridership/mile, in which Phoenix (2000 riders/mile) beats Charlotte (1500 riders/mile)...but not by much.
The point is, Phoenix is not very far along in rail transit development for a city it's size, where Charlotte is ahead of the game for a city it's size. We're making a comparison akin to Dallas vs. Tampa or Atlanta vs. Nashville. The small system in Charlotte is pretty far ahead of it's peer cities, while the comparatively larger system in Phoenix is pretty far behind it's peers. I think that's why many people decided that Charlotte wins this one.
Considering the size differences, Charlotte. The Southeast seems to be taking public transport issues seriously these days. I have seen firsthand all the development which has sprung up along the light rail path in Charlotte.
Oh you're talking about the vintage trolley system that shared track with light rail. Yeah that's gone but an actual rail-based streetcar system is already planned and has received federal funding.
I'm an advocate for public transportation, but I'm not an advocate for streetcars. They do essentially the same job that buses do for more money. Buses have a stigma in much of the US (especially the sunbelt) and streetcars do attract people that wouldn't otherwise take public transportation but functionally they are the same as a bus if not inferior. They are a gimmick and a fad.
I can see where Phoenix advocates may feel their city easily wins. The miles of track is longer and it has higher ridership. However, I can see Charlotte advocates point of view as well. the ridership is lower and the miles of track is also shorter. However Charlotte is a city of 731k vs Phoenix a city 1+million. Obviously Phoenix will have higher ridership. There is also the level of impact. LRT in Charlotte has led to an incredible explosion of TOD that has transformed South Blvd into an incredible warehouse district and the Southend MSD. I'm not sure of the level of impact of LRT in Phoenix, but in Charlotte LRT is more than just public transportation but a vital economic development engine.
To me, this is essentially a comparison of public transportation systems. Whichever one is the most creative with doing more with less with less funding is the one that will be able to expand. However, many national politician don't see public transportation as a ncessity. But that's another discussion.
I'm an advocate for public transportation, but I'm not an advocate for streetcars. They do essentially the same job that buses do for more money. Buses have a stigma in much of the US (especially the sunbelt) and streetcars do attract people that wouldn't otherwise take public transportation but functionally they are the same as a bus if not inferior. They are a gimmick and a fad.
I disagree. Streetcars are economic and urban development tools in addition to being a mode of transit. One of the major benefits of streetcars is that it is a fixed-rail system so it results in adjacent development and increased property values. Buses have nowhere near the same effect.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
