[billiefan2000]

Originally Posted by Busguy2010

When they eliminated the 5 mid-day southern section, the 10 and the 17, that took three buses off the road during rush hour, and I believe two buses during the mid-day.

With the money saved from those cuts, a half hour fequency, fourty-five minute long route could be added during rush hour without spending extra money.

That could amount to a north Omaha-west Omaha fixed rush hour bus route that operates five days a week.

The main thing I don't like is when they remove routes, but don't improve service elsewhere.

I forgot to mention they removed one bus from the 16 service as well,

u are so right. plus, we still havent heard anything new about the proposed west maple road route that has been in "the works" since at least 2008

(according to a bus driver who told me this the other day)

[Busguy2010]

Looks like Metro will be updating their stops this weekend, including transfer points with route numbers, it appears.
Announcements - Stops/Transfers - Omaha Metro
This is just another sign that they're really trying to change. I think we all must admit, none of this would have happened with the MAT name behind it. I think Metro really is beginning to set itself apart from its past.
They have also posted all of the CWS express routes, and they will also be running a downtown area circulator route.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...rvice_2011.pdf

[billiefan2000]

why dont instead of having the 65 cws special route, why not people take the 2

shame that Curt Simon only cares about new routes when the cws is happening


bus routes to cws= okay

non express bus routes west of 120th street on maple or dodge= cant ever happen

[Busguy2010]

For the most part, I think the reason they'll use the CWS Express routes to the new stadium is because people wouldn't be able to figure out the regular routes themselves. Make a few routes that only arrive and leave at one time so there's really no way to mess things up. Plus, I think the express routes are more appealing because there's no stops in between, so that makes it competative with the automobile, plus no traffic frustration makes the express routes better than the automobile. I think it's all about appeal to a different base of customers than your regular every day bus rider. People use them, too. I think a couple of years ago, I saw two buses running the same route at the same time and they were both full.

[rachaella]

I am so, so frustrated with the non-functionality and general poor user interface of the ometro.com website. The trip planner doesn't work well, the "next bus" application doesn't work at all, and the system map is incredibly hard to read.

Overall I'm unimpressed, and I can't believe that more people haven't complained.

[Busguy2010]

Originally Posted by rachaella

I am so, so frustrated with the non-functionality and general poor user interface of the ometro.com website. The trip planner doesn't work well, the "next bus" application doesn't work at all, and the system map is incredibly hard to read.

Overall I'm unimpressed, and I can't believe that more people haven't complained.

The website is so much less ghetto that it used to be. The system map and trip planner are the things that didn't change when the new site was put into use. I would be willing to bet that Metro will join Google Transit sooner rather than later. Google transit is so much easier to use than this trip planner. You wouldn't even have to access Metro's website to use it. Although, I don't exactly understand why it's hard for most people to figure it out on their own. That's what I do and I find it very easy.
I do believe they need to re-do the system map. The route lines are too big and the streets aren't detailed enough, along with popular destinations. They way they color code each route needs to stay though. I think it was seattle's system map that used all light blue lines to indicate where a bus goes. They just add a circle with the number of the route along the blue line where a particular route runs. That's very complicated.

There are improvements to be made, still, but I'd be willing to bet they are going to change both with the "new direction".

[rachaella]

I talked with the sustainability coordinator at my office about this today, and he told me that Metro is on the waiting list to be integrated with Google, but that there are a lot of other cities on that list as well.

I'm moving from the suburbs into the east side of Omaha (not sure where yet) and one of the major things I was excited about was getting to use the bus system instead of having to drive to work every day.

I wrote a long email to Metro this weekend pointing out my biggest frustrations with their service and I share your opinion on the map. It's awful, though I do like the colors. The large map has several important sections, the transit centers, which are entirely obscured by a giant yellow oval.

Among my frustrations with the trip planner are: the fact that the map within the application never loads, if I ask for "shortest walk" it ignores the route that goes right outside my workplace, if I say I want to depart at 5, it gives me buses that depart at 4:45... all kinds of nonsense. I have yet to find one option that the trip planner has given me that makes more sense than me spending fifteen minutes trying to figure out the schedules. The trip planner is supposed to SAVE me those fifteen minutes, though! So annoying.

Why is getting this to work not a priority for somebody?

I think an example of a city doing it "right" is Phoenix, with their site at Providing Public Transportation Alternatives for the Greater Phoenix Metro Area | Valley Metro | (I lived there for about five years and found the bus system much easier to use than Omaha's.)

[Busguy2010]

Originally Posted by rachaella

I talked with the sustainability coordinator at my office about this today, and he told me that Metro is on the waiting list to be integrated with Google, but that there are a lot of other cities on that list as well.

I'm moving from the suburbs into the east side of Omaha (not sure where yet) and one of the major things I was excited about was getting to use the bus system instead of having to drive to work every day.

I wrote a long email to Metro this weekend pointing out my biggest frustrations with their service and I share your opinion on the map. It's awful, though I do like the colors. The large map has several important sections, the transit centers, which are entirely obscured by a giant yellow oval.

Among my frustrations with the trip planner are: the fact that the map within the application never loads, if I ask for "shortest walk" it ignores the route that goes right outside my workplace, if I say I want to depart at 5, it gives me buses that depart at 4:45... all kinds of nonsense. I have yet to find one option that the trip planner has given me that makes more sense than me spending fifteen minutes trying to figure out the schedules. The trip planner is supposed to SAVE me those fifteen minutes, though! So annoying.

Why is getting this to work not a priority for somebody?

I think an example of a city doing it "right" is Phoenix, with their site at Providing Public Transportation Alternatives for the Greater Phoenix Metro Area | Valley Metro | (I lived there for about five years and found the bus system much easier to use than Omaha's.)

Hey, that's good to know that you are moving into the city! Also good to hear that Metro is on the waiting list. I'm not surprised. They did say they were going to improve, and they're on their way. If you would like, I'm very good at figuring out bus trips for myself, and don't use the trip planne because you know... It sucks. Let me know if you want me to figure out a good route for you and I'll do just that.

[billiefan2000]

I will never believe METRO has improved until there is at least 1 or both these things happen


(a) non express bus service down west maple from westroads to at least 168th and maple

(b) there is a bus route (like the route 1 or 48) that runs between westroads and oakview mall (via pacific street)

[billiefan2000]

as one person said online about lack of bus service in nw omaha:


when is the segregation of West and East/Midtown Omaha going to end with the bus service?

there's been a divide for too long, and only hurts the development of our whole community.

anyone else agree