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One thing to keep in mind is that we're not talking about a 100 million dollar subway system. We're talking about 3-4 buses, a handful of bus stops, and the infrastructure and salary cost of providing those. I don't think that is too much of a gamble to see if our area is ready for a more aggressive public transit system.
Incorporating the Golden Strip area is a good sign of faith in public transit. For historical and other reasons, the bus system here is often seen as something only used by people who can't afford a car. This is contrary to the mentality behind mass transit in most of the country not to mention the rest of the world.
I'd happily pay my fare to save gas, wear and tear on my car, and time spent dealing with traffic on I-385 each morning. I'll sit on the bus and enjoy my home-brewed coffee and do work on my employer-issued iPad.
Politically, I am all for eliminating welfare and the like, but public transit is basic infrastructure that is needed for a city of our size and growing reknown. It is also a hedge against rising fuel costs. If gas ever hits $5/gallon like it is currently in many countries I have the feeling that many will get off their high horse and ride the bus.
Thank you for stating this much more eloquently than I did!
If you think riding a bus for an hour each way each day to work is an improvement in quality of life you need to talk to some of the people I sell homes to. They move here to get away from that very thing.
How do you figure my home is in an unsubstainable area? What the heck are you talking about.
What about living in a locale where you can NOWHERE without using your car is sustainable? Pick up some literature.
Great to see that the Greenville Metro is expanding transit options.. Just out of curiosity.. can you take a commuter bus from Spartanburg to Greenville?
Oh and as far as waiting in the hot/cold... Most commuter bus stops at park and ride lot ... the commuters generally wait in their cars until the bus pulls up.. then they go out into the elements to board the bus....Drivers are generally courteous enough to wait for people to get out of their cars and walk up to the bus.. especially inclement weather Now if this is more of a 'city bus' that stops on every corner and no parking is available.. that may be a different story
Now if this is more of a 'city bus' that stops on every corner and no parking is available.. that may be a different story
From what I'm reading that's what this is. One of the articles I was reading stated that it would be a two hour round trip, so that's certainly not a commuter or express type route. There was also no discussion of park and ride facilities.
Without express routes I don't see commuters trading their cars. The same problem exists here; my wife drives 18-22 minutes to work every day, and would prefer mass transit. It would take 4 transfers and almost an hour an a half to get there by bus, so it's just not an option.
One thing to keep in mind is that we're not talking about a 100 million dollar subway system. We're talking about 3-4 buses, a handful of bus stops, and the infrastructure and salary cost of providing those. I don't think that is too much of a gamble to see if our area is ready for a more aggressive public transit system.
Incorporating the Golden Strip area is a good sign of faith in public transit. For historical and other reasons, the bus system here is often seen as something only used by people who can't afford a car. This is contrary to the mentality behind mass transit in most of the country not to mention the rest of the world.
I'd happily pay my fare to save gas, wear and tear on my car, and time spent dealing with traffic on I-385 each morning. I'll sit on the bus and enjoy my home-brewed coffee and do work on my employer-issued iPad.
Politically, I am all for eliminating welfare and the like, but public transit is basic infrastructure that is needed for a city of our size and growing reknown. It is also a hedge against rising fuel costs. If gas ever hits $5/gallon like it is currently in many countries I have the feeling that many will get off their high horse and ride the bus.
Excellent points! Gas prices are steadily climbing but wages are not increasing along with them. I was in Greenville about a month ago.....gas was around $3.60 a gallon. When I was living in Greenville it was unheard of to see gas prices above $2.40 a gallon. Look at the difference time can make.
People should not have to make a choice between putting gas in their car so they can get to work and feeding their families. That is an unfair choice to have to make. Public transportation will be another option for people....options are always good to have. Not to mention the ripple effect it will have on the economy....this means more jobs for residents.
Great to see that the Greenville Metro is expanding transit options.. Just out of curiosity.. can you take a commuter bus from Spartanburg to Greenville?
Oh and as far as waiting in the hot/cold... Most commuter bus stops at park and ride lot ... the commuters generally wait in their cars until the bus pulls up.. then they go out into the elements to board the bus....Drivers are generally courteous enough to wait for people to get out of their cars and walk up to the bus.. especially inclement weather Now if this is more of a 'city bus' that stops on every corner and no parking is available.. that may be a different story
There has been nothing said about parking. At this time there is no available day parking in Simpsonville. Another reason I doubt the usablility of this endevor.
Did I mention that Simpsonville has only one lane through town and when the bus stops all traffic in town will stop with it?
One thing to keep in mind is that we're not talking about a 100 million dollar subway system. We're talking about 3-4 buses, a handful of bus stops, and the infrastructure and salary cost of providing those. I don't think that is too much of a gamble to see if our area is ready for a more aggressive public transit system.
Incorporating the Golden Strip area is a good sign of faith in public transit. For historical and other reasons, the bus system here is often seen as something only used by people who can't afford a car. This is contrary to the mentality behind mass transit in most of the country not to mention the rest of the world.
Politically, I am all for eliminating welfare and the like, but public transit is basic infrastructure that is needed for a city of our size and growing reknown. It is also a hedge against rising fuel costs. If gas ever hits $5/gallon like it is currently in many countries I have the feeling that many will get off their high horse and ride the bus.
The irony in that mindset is the fact that these same people decided to live in a remote suburb where automobile transportation is a necessity and commuting longer distances is inevitable, if not a daily procedure. The philosophy behind their desire for public mass transit condemns their own lifestyle as inefficient and environmentally unsustainable.
The trend is beginning to reverse based on this WSJ article published last year. People are now more likely to want to live in a city rather than the suburbs because they offer transportation and a walkable environment.
The days of suburban car dependent sprawl have become less and less attractive to a lot of people. Unfortunately the way many cities have been built with everything spread out...having a better mass transit option for people has become a need and not a want. Future generations will want better access to public transportation too.
C'mon folks... My original post regardng a park & ride service was from a "what if" standpoint. The new Golden Strip service currently being proposed IS a city bus service. It's simply my view that the 385 corridor would be ideal for a commuter-oriented park & ride service as well.
There has been nothing said about parking. At this time there is no available day parking in Simpsonville. Another reason I doubt the usablility of this endevor.
Did I mention that Simpsonville has only one lane through town and when the bus stops all traffic in town will stop with it?
Just curious, why are you against mass transit? Sorry if you have defined your position somewhere before, I have not seen it.
But, regardless of silly magazine rankings where seemingly every city or town is ranked in someway, cities/metros that invest in transit will be ahead of the game in the future for a number of reasons. First, the trend in real estate and where people want to live is moving towards center cities and walkable or linked edge cities. Suburban sprawl as we have seen historically is not viable on a large scale in the future. If you want to see how mass transit affects communities, come look at the Lynx line in the Southend area of Charlotte. Apartments are being filled as fast as they can be completed and the edge neighborhoods to transit lines (Dilworth, Wilmore etc...) are highly desirable. In short, people will pay more to live close in and have transit options than they will to live in the suburbs, regardless of some silly magazine ranking. Secondly, gas prices will rise to the point where people will want other options. Again, look at the Lynx trains or Cats Buses as gas rises. They are full of professionals commuting to work. To survive in the future, Greenville would be wise to invest in transit.
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Now if this is more of a 'city bus' that stops on every corner and no parking is available.. that may be a different story
