RTA: What's good, bad, and improvable (Columbus, Cleveland: eat, suburbs, rating)

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Thanks for bringing up the green/blue line bizarre driver change at E. 55. I have to say, I've never seen anything like that in any other city. Between the slowing down/stopping/starting up again as well as the physical changing of the drivers and the conversations they have in doing so, it easily adds 3 minutes to the ride. Then they stop again at the actual E 55 station.

I have never taken the 14, would be interesting to see if the schedule resembles reality. I would still much rather be on the rapid though than take that depressing ride down Kinsman though.

It's amazing bjimmy, that neither you nor I live full time in Cleveland, are casual Rapid riders and, yet, have been subjected to this ridiculous driver/shift change at E.55th. That's how frequent it is. What's even worse is I've been on several runs where the substitute driver is late and we are forced to wait an extra few minutes. I can't imagine drivers' hitching a ride to/from Tower City would be that arduous. Tower City is only 5-6 minutes away by train and, obviously, wait times are short -- every few minutes -- as this is the frequency of trains through E. 55th is the highest in the system.

... once again, I have to ask: are RTA riders so disrespected as a group and beaten down to the extent that they won't speak up ... with the idea that nothing will be done even if they do?

[teacherdad]

My daughter and I were there in the winter 2 years ago. I wanted to show her the WFL and area along the lake. I figured I could just stay onboard the train until it returned to Tower. At the Browns Stadium exit (closer to the Rock Hall actually), he said we had to exit. He had to go down and and turn around. I thought it was odd. It took at least 20 min., although he said he would be about 5, to get back. We laughed a bit, but it was freakin' really cold and we huddled in a corner until he finally came back.

[ferraris]

I've honestly only ridden the rapid maybe 20 times in my 2 years here, and even I've seen the E 55th driver change more than once.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

I would still much rather be on the rapid though than take that depressing ride down Kinsman though.

^This. I avoid riding buses that make many stops in the ghetto. Personal safety and all that.

[kpl1228]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Thanks for bringing up the green/blue line bizarre driver change at E. 55. I have to say, I've never seen anything like that in any other city. Between the slowing down/stopping/starting up again as well as the physical changing of the drivers and the conversations they have in doing so, it easily adds 3 minutes to the ride.

I won't disagree but...three minutes. I hope the world survived.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by kpl1228

I won't disagree but...three minutes. I hope the world survived.

It's just one small part of the trip. Literally it takes at least 3 minutes to travel 100 feet. It's called the "rapid". I've still never seen something as silly as the driver change at E 55 in any city I've ever visited. I ride the Boston T all the time, doesn't happen. I also somewhat regularly (several times a year) use the NYC MTA and DC Metro. Again, never. Why should Cleveland just accept something so stupid?

[j_ws]

Little delays such as this three minute one add up. That's why "BRT creep" - loss of features such as signal prioritization and all-door boarding - so drastically erode the service of the Health Line. Same deal with regular bus frequencies being reduced by five to ten minutes. It seems relatively minor but it's actually profoundly negative for riders.

Small delays are minor on their own but in the context of the entire system can be really destructive.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

It's just one small part of the trip. Literally it takes at least 3 minutes to travel 100 feet. It's called the "rapid". I've still never seen something as silly as the driver change at E 55 in any city I've ever visited. I ride the Boston T all the time, doesn't happen. I also somewhat regularly (several times a year) use the NYC MTA and DC Metro. Again, never. Why should Cleveland just accept something so stupid?

Why should Cleveland just accept something so stupid? Because RTA is a bastion of politics, graft, nepotism etc. and no one can say anything. RTA has its own police department that isn't allowed to do fare checks on the trains and healthline because riders are intimidated by police. Huh? So this E 55th is small potatoes for RTA yet typical.

Let's hope the new GM Birdsong India or whatever her name is from Nashville will get things in shape. Nashville is a much smaller system where this lady worked as a ''transit administrator'' with previous ''work'' in Chicago. Hmm...

First morning on the job should be knocking off this nonsense at E 55th. The RTA troops will cop a deeper attitude than usual though with this kinda tough leadership crackdown...lol.

First afternoon on the job should be ensuring that former RTA Board President George Dixon III is current on repayments related to his $1.1 million theft from RTA along with stealing the use of a friggin cell phone. What a loser.

Meanwhile ridership continues to dwindle...

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by j_ws

Little delays such as this three minute one add up. That's why "BRT creep" - loss of features such as signal prioritization and all-door boarding - so drastically erode the service of the Health Line. Same deal with regular bus frequencies being reduced by five to ten minutes. It seems relatively minor but it's actually profoundly negative for riders.

Small delays are minor on their own but in the context of the entire system can be really destructive.

Yep. And you end up with the situation where everyone who can drive does drive. We have the basis for a good transit system but still a long way to go to change its day to day operation and rehabbing its image in the mind of the public.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

It's just one small part of the trip. Literally it takes at least 3 minutes to travel 100 feet. It's called the "rapid". I've still never seen something as silly as the driver change at E 55 in any city I've ever visited. I ride the Boston T all the time, doesn't happen. I also somewhat regularly (several times a year) use the NYC MTA and DC Metro. Again, never. Why should Cleveland just accept something so stupid?

On Philadelphia's SEPTA regional rail system (13 lines, roughly 200 route miles), there are 2 major rail yards where a lot of engineers and conductors park there cars and where crew changes could be made … but all crew changes are made at Suburban Station, the central/downtown Philadelphia station in the entire system. Off duty conductors and engineers hook rides on other train lines to one of the main yards -- one being the Roberts Ave Yard 5 miles north of Center City -- to get to their cards...

… yeah you can say it's only 3 minutes (I've actually been on trains where it's taken more time than this, especially where the new-shift driver is late/not there on time to switch in). Those 'few' minutes make a difference on what should be "rapid" transit, esp with other issues slowing the system down; like the fact all trains must come to a dead stop at E. 79th Street to get up, reach over to the opposite cab wall with skeleton key to switch on and off the cab signal system that runs from Tower City to E. 79th). What's worse is that drivers switching over at E.55th are usually very social, laid back and just plain slow when changing over; like their social exchanges are much more important than getting riders where they need to go anywhere near on time...

… Once again, as bad as this practice is, what's even more frustrating is the acceptance of Cleveland's riding public of crap like this -- including even on this board, apparently... Little wonder whey mass transit receives such low priority and is such a mess while freeways and sprawl rules.