[billiefan2000]

where is businessminded 402 at? dont he work for MAT?

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by billiefan2000

the 2 and 15 and 55 and 4 buses are heavily packed so the only 3-5 people are on a bus at a time is somewhat a myth.

I agree on options 2 and 3 and 4.

look as long as Curt Simon is ruining (I mean running) MAT, things wont get better. he has been such a disaster as MAT's boss,

it is amzing he still has his job, but government employees/incomptence go hand and hand.

So those buses, at certain times during the day, are packed. But that's 4 buses out of how many?

One of my main gripes is why they continue to drive those giant lumbering 35' cockroaches on routes where they never have more than a handful of riders. It's like having semi-tractor trailers driving all over Omaha, and stopping every block. It's a logistical nightmare, and totally unnecessary.


MAT is a perfect example of a "company" that should stop receiving public money just for existing. They need to either perform, or go bankrupt.

[billiefan2000]

omaha rocks, maybe you and others need to vocally speak out on improving the bus system. evan address you concerns to the city council and MAT


your ideas are great:


Mat needs to have buses that use "green technology" such as natural gas, electric, hybrid, etc. There's a whole "neo-hippy culture" and "green enthusiast" people who would possibly ride the buses for no other reason than the ecology & environmentally conscious use of green buses.



Better, faster routes. Many metro areas have "park & ride" areas, with buses that transport riders directly from the suburbs into downtown, and do so without any stops. People are not willing to ride a bus for 45 minutes, when they could drive the same distance in 10-15.

3. Offer wi-fi on the buses. People want to be connected at all times. Rather than fight it, invite it.

4. Keep the buses CLEAN and updated. There should not be windows duct-taped shut, and a person shouldn't have to worry about getting parasites or some disease just by sitting on the seats.


================================================== =

I know MAT would listen to you and others ideas for improving the system.

as my friend at Twitter / Omaha Bus Rider: @billiefan2000 I had not s ... said they did extend the 15 to lakeside hospital because of requests. So they do listen.



people need to get involved and say something.

[billiefan2000]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

MAT is a perfect example of a "company" that should stop receiving public money just for existing. They need to either perform, or go bankrupt.

MAT needs improvements and improvements wont happen without public feedback on how to improve.


btw: if MAT was to stop receiving public money just for being terrible, would you call for other omaha failures as well to stop getting public money.

I mean would you call for Omaha Benson High school

to stop receiving public money just because of it's high dropout and truancy problems and a alumni association (including it's owh reporter of a president) that refuses to speak out on Benson's problems.


Omaha Benson High: we dont know where your kids are at during the school day is the school's unofficial motto.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by billiefan2000

MAT needs improvements and improvements wont happen without public feedback on how to improve.


btw: if MAT was to stop receiving public money just for being terrible, would you call for other omaha failures as well to stop getting public money.

I mean would you call for Omaha Benson High school

to stop receiving public money just because of it's high dropout and truancy problems and a alumni association (including it's owh reporter of a president) that refuses to speak out on Benson's problems.


Omaha Benson High: we dont know where your kids are at during the school day is the school's unofficial motto.

I know you're being somewhat facetious with this post, and that's fine because it's a point well taken.

The bottom line is that YES, competition is a GOOD thing - even among public schools. Make schools compete for students rather than force students to go to sucky schools just because they're unfortunate enough to live in the district.

By the way, we technically live in the Benson High School district, but sent our kid to Omaha North. Why? Because it is a superior school.

[billiefan2000]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

I know you're being somewhat facetious with this post, and that's fine because it's a point well taken.

The bottom line is that YES, competition is a GOOD thing - even among public schools. Make schools compete for students rather than force students to go to sucky schools just because they're unfortunate enough to live in the district.

By the way, we technically live in the Benson High School district, but sent our kid to Omaha North. Why? Because it is a superior school.

I am a Omaha North grad and proud of it and I agree with you:

Make schools compete for students rather than force students to go to sucky schools just because they're unfortunate enough to live in the district.



btw: there is some good bus routes in benson area

the 4 and 14 and the 8

and the 25 http://metroareatransit.com/images/25map300dpiGRY_4-2010.jpg (broken link)

and the 18 http://metroareatransit.com/images/18map300dpiGRY8_4-09.jpg (broken link) are all near or through benson area

[billiefan2000]

speaking of mat bus

MAT - Stadium Express 2009 (http://metroareatransit.com/html/stex2009.html - broken link)

has info on the 2010 PARK AND RIDE SCHEDULE for the CWS.


amazing that MAT will go all out for the CWS folks but the average omaha bus rider gets screwed.

[Busguy2010]

They go all out for CWS, because they know that it is 100% gauranteed that people are going to ride these buses. During the 2 week period, there is a huge amount of people that just want to be at 13th & Deer Park. MAT knows exactly where they want to go and because that, they are confident enough to provide those routes. the other 50 weeks of the year, it is anybody's guess where people want to go, besides the people that use the express buses, where they do use the park and ride lots.

MAT knows the majority of people ride the bus downtown and go home from downtown during the rush hours. This is why frequency is up and all the routes run during weekday rush hour. So what MAT does, is they try to make it easy for people to get to work downtown from their homes. I ride the bus downtown all the time and I find it to be quite an enhoyable ride.

As I said, They don't know where people want to go. It would be impractical to have several park and Ride lots with a bunch of non stop buses stemming from it. That would mean you would have to have a car to ride the bus, which doeant make sense at all.

For the most part, MAT caters to those that need to ride the bus, and for the most part, they serve every place a rider will need to go, such as the malls, grocery stores, and city buildings. Maybe they don't serve all of them but why serve the bag N' Save on the west end of town when it takes less time to serve the one at 108th and Maple.

I think MAT is doing pretty well as far as the routing part, except for the non-existant Northwest Omaha service.

Now, how about those routes 53 & 54?

[billiefan2000]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

A minor accident involving a MAT bus in the gut of downtown Omaha. It happened at 4:30 PM, which is the beginning of Rush Hour. How many people were on this 35' bus? One! So why does MAT insist on lumbering all over the city in these huge, inefficient buses when they hardly ever have anybody on them? That'd be like me insisting on driving a 15-passenger van everywhere, even though my kids are grown & gone.

actually, a lot of the buses turn around near that area and routes begin or end near where that ccident happened.

could be cause it is so close to the end or begin of the route line depending on which route the bus was part of, that may explain why only 1 person was onboard at that time.


i have taken the 2 route numerous times

http://metroareatransit.com/images/2map300dpi_4-09.jpg (broken link)

and the 2 starts or ends depending on direction just a block or two away.

same goes for the 16

and 10 routes http://metroareatransit.com/images/10map300dpiGRY_4-09.jpg (broken link)


which start or end near where that accident happened.

[billiefan2000]

omaha rocks:

mat supporter omahabusrider likes a idea of yours

Twitter / Omaha Bus Rider: @billiefan2000 Green buses ...


Green buses would be wonderful, I've seen them in other bus fleets. As long there isn't need major infrastructure. GO FOR IT!

that was a response to

Twitter / billiefan2000: @omahabusrider Mat needs t ...


hopefully more people may suggest that idea of yours to mat cause it could and should happen with the buses