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I have voiced my discontent with RTD's service in South Jeffco in a post somewhere on city-data. In that post I lamented the lack of RTD call and ride service in South Jeffco. I was hoping that the service would be offered to supplement existing bus service. What we will get instead was C&R service to replace many different routes. The rationale for the changes is lack of ridership and the disabled will be the victims of the route cuts.
Because ridership figures show that people are not riding the bus in South Jeffco, RTD uses this as a justification for cutting routes. However, I am not aware of any RTD study to find out where people who live in the area are traveling to and from, and then creating (efficient) routes to serve those people. There are several ways to get downtown via express buses or light rail, but there are no routes that take commuters from Ken Caryl to the DTC. The distance is the same and there are nearly as many workers in the DTC as there are downtown. The only way I can get to the DTC is to endure transfers and take about an hour and twenty minutes to get there. Or I can drive.
I firmly believe that the lack of a city government plays a role in the loss of service as there is no entity to stand up to RTD's capricious decisions. As a proponent of mass transit, I have been sorry that RTD lacks viable routes in South Jeffco, and I am outraged by the indifference of the agency towards an area where nearly 60,000 people live. As a taxpayer, I am wonder if I am getting the best return for my tax money. Maybe it's time for the South Jeffco people to take a page from the Castle Rock playbook and opt out of RTD.
That might not be a bad idea. If the service is that bad in JeffCo then it would have the effect of either a) convincing RTD that if they want their money, they better secure that service or b) pulling RTD out of most of Jefferson County and returning those tax dollars to county residents. Obviously it would not be an easy feat to pull off.
However, there is one thing to consider...the population density of the county. I do believe we really neglect public transit in our country compared to other places in the world (that view providing transit options for less densely populated areas to be as important as to those in major urban areas), but that population density is going to take a chunk out of what RTD can do in JeffCo. It's one of the tragic prices of things moving further out and away from density...
The 0 is now somewhat supplemented by continuing service via the light rail now from I-25 and Broadway, at least serving Broadway residents down to around Hampden (and perhaps more with Park n Ride.)
Thats obviously the way RTD looks at the situation, but that is not reality. For the vast majority of people, light rail is not an alternative to the 0.
For example, light rail does not serve the Civic Center. If you get off a bus at I-25 & Broadway, transfer to light rail, and then transfer again to a mall bus at 16th & California and ride to Civic Civic Center, you are just going to kill about 10 - 15 min. of time. Instead of just staying on the first bus, an riding directly to Civic Center.
South of Broadway & I-25 the light rail lines run southeast and southwest. That is not a reasonable alternative for people who need service along the South Broadway corridor. Unless you want to force them into their cars to drive five miles east or west to a light rail station. And that would be counterproductive to encouraging people to use public transit.
The 0 bus should be a major feeder line for light rail. Both for people living along South Broadway to use to get to the I-25 & Broadway light rail station so they can continue their ride Downtown on light rail, and for southeast and southwest light rail riders to transfer the to the 0 bus to finish their trip to the Civic Center area.
I'm not optimistic that RTD will understand that anytime soon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zenkonami
I'm not saying it's perfect, and I'm sure the scheduling can be frustrating (how do we have that many packed trains every Friday night, but still have service every 30 minutes?), but in a bad economy when the tax money ain't happenin, decisions have to be made to cut things. Hopefully things can get back on track, service and thus ridership can improve and justify better scheduling and routes.
I agree 30 min. service for light rail is unexceptable. RTD just doesn't understand that to get riders, they need to provide fast, frequent service at a reasonable fair.
I thought I did see some construction. Didn't know that's what they are doing. Wish they'd spend the money on transit instead. I rarely commute downtown by driving - I take full advantage of my firm paid RTD pass and the 120x/122x.
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Originally Posted by denverian
Didn't I read that they're going to extend carpool lanes up I-25 through Thornton? I drove up there the other day and didn't notice any construction yet. Not that that helps you, but thought maybe you'd know since you live there!
The details have not been disclosed but it is would be more in tune of the Public/Private Partnership in Building the East Line and the Gold Line and part of the Northwest Line to Westminster. Those contracts have been signed and construction has begun. This is made possible by a federal grant to stimulate this type of funding with private resources.
RTD and the Federal Government wants to do more of these types of projects, so I suspect that RTD will go ahead and built the North Line in some form of this partnership. RTD has been thrown a lifeline and it would be foolish to not look seriously into this proposal. This would give RTD more credence when it goes to the polls for an increased sales tax or not have an need for this funding initiative.
I stand by what I said, I just don't think you or any other person, who does not currently live here, has any right to put out an opinion. I saw your opinion in the boldly stated subject line: FAIL.
The 0 bus runs every 10 minutes and stops right outside my building. I'm not sure how you know that it runs every 30 minutes, especially since you don't live here now and are not taking the 0.
Other areas I've been to, with bad bus systems? That'd be L.A. (terrible, and pretty scary too I might add), Miami, Tampa.
You don't know where I live, (cross streets) and have no idea of the buses in my area, so how can you say that we might have a train up north but no bus service?
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Originally Posted by KaaBoom
In case you didn't notice I didn't give my opinions about it. I simply posted the article. The statements and opinions expressed in the article were those of the Denver Post reporter and the Denver residents he interviewed. So the opinions and statements are from people who live in Denver. Plus at least two other posters in this thread (both from Denver) seem to concur with the article. Second I lived in Denver and rode RTD busses and trains for 25 years, and I still follow RTD news extensively. So I think I am qualified to make statements and give opinions about it.
I'm also very familiar with the Colorado Center for the Blind, which is mentioned in the article. Back in the days when the school was located on Broadway, I saw their students boarding the bus all the time when I rode the 0 bus. That was in the days when the 0 bus ran every 10 min. Now it runs every 30 min. I guess you fans of RTD consider that an improvement though.
Which other places would that be? I can't think of any other comparable size transit system in the country that is run worse then RTD.
If the current trend continues you will have a train. But you wont have any bus service to get to the train station.
I stand by what I said, I just don't think you or any other person, who does not currently live here, has any right to put out an opinion. I saw your opinion in the boldly stated subject line: FAIL.
0 bus runs every 10 minutes and stops right outside my building. I'm not sure how you know that it runs every 30 minutes, especially since you don't live here now and are not taking the 0.
Um RTD schedules are available online. Anyone in the world can find out how often the 0 bus runs in about 15 seconds, using Google.
Weekday 0 busses leave Highlands Ranch at 5:31, 6:00, 6:27, 6:57, 7:27, 7:57, 8:27, 8:58, 9:28, 9:58AM and continue to leave approximately on the hour and the half hour until 11:34PM. Then the last two busses leave at 12:22 and 1:20AM. That = 30 min. service.
RTD board approves transit cuts but keeps some service for blind riders
By Jeffrey Leib
POSTED: 10/26/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT
UPDATED: 10/26/2011 10:48:19 AM MDT
RTD directors late Tuesday approved a major service-reduction plan aimed at saving the transit agency $10.7 million next year, but the measure included a last-minute amendment that preserves peak-hour service on one bus route especially valued by many blind transit users.
Dozens of students and officials from the Colorado Center for the Blind in Littleton crowded the Regional Transportation District's headquarters and passionately protested the agency's plan to eliminate service on three bus routes that blind students depend on to travel between their apartments and the center.
Well, downtown the 0 runs every 5 min. At first you only mentioned the 0 on Broadway, then you better defined the exact area you were riding the 0. In any case, I think having a bus that stops every 1/2 hour in Highlands Ranch is pretty good, given it's so far away from downtown. On my block, in Thornton, we have two local buses that run about every 1/2 hour. Or, I can go to my choice of two park-n-rides and catch buses that run every 15 min. or so.
Regardless, this post is a little silly. I can't imagine hanging out in the Miami thread, trashing their bus system or their city. I don't live there and don't feel a need to post my opinion on how their city is ran. I can only imagine the feedback I'd get over there if I were to do what you are doing!
Quote:
Originally Posted by KaaBoom
Um RTD schedules are available online. Anyone in the world can find out how often the 0 bus runs in about 15 seconds, using Google.
Weekday 0 busses leave Highlands Ranch at 5:31, 6:00, 6:27, 6:57, 7:27, 7:57, 8:27, 8:58, 9:28, 9:58AM and continue to leave approximately on the hour and the half hour until 11:34PM. Then the last two busses leave at 12:22 and 1:20AM. That = 30 min. service.
Well, downtown the 0 runs every 5 min. At first you only mentioned the 0 on Broadway, then you better defined the exact area you were riding the 0. In any case, I think having a bus that stops every 1/2 hour in Highlands Ranch is pretty good, given it's so far away from downtown. On my block, in Thornton, we have two local buses that run about every 1/2 hour. Or, I can go to my choice of two park-n-rides and catch buses that run every 15 min. or so.
First the 0 does not run every 5 min. Downtown it runs every 10 min. with only a couple of extra busses added in between, at crush times. The base service is clearly 10 min. even in the rush hour.
Again, before light rail in addition to the 30 min. service to Highlands Ranch, there was also 30 min, service to Southgleen, and to Downtown Littleton. With a combined service of 10 min. Which means that two-thirds of the service to Englewood and Littleton has been cut. An argument can be make that the service to Downtown Littleton has been replaced by the light rail. But no way can that argument be made, for the cuts in service to Southglenn or to South Broadway. Since those areas are simply not directly service by the light rail.
Second the fact that you consider 30 min. service to be "pretty good" is just sad. 30 min. should be considered bare bones service. It means that if you are running just a few minuets late and miss your bus, you are going to be standing on the street for a half hour waiting for the next bus. That may be OK for some people, but I can tell you that the majority of people will consider that to be unacceptable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverLawGal
Regardless, this post is a little silly. I can't imagine hanging out in the Miami thread, trashing their bus system or their city. I don't live there and don't feel a need to post my opinion on how their city is ran. I can only imagine the feedback I'd get over there if I were to do what you are doing!
So I'm interested in public transit, and particularly in Denver, since I lived there most of my life. You have a problem with that?
A better question is why do some of you people want to be cheerleaders for RTD, and take it personally when someone points out the deficiencies in Denver's transportation system?
As a few other posters in this thread (who do live in Denver) have pointed out. For a rail system to be successful, it must have good feeder bus service. Rail lines will never serve all neighborhoods. The majority of rides will always have to ride busses. To continue to build rail lines at the expense of existing bus routes will just lead to disaster, and the rail system will end up being a white elephant that few will actually ride.
You all can continue to be cheerleaders for RTD, and yelp about how it's the best transit system in the country, but it wont help.
Now that the system has decided to keep some services serving the blind, we can close this thread and get on with other topics.
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