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Again, your information is simply off the mark. Durham's buses are very well utilized. So are Chapel Hill's. As I stated above, 20,000 people ride a DATA bus. That sounds like pretty good utilization to me.
All this crap about DATA buses being under-used is absolute baloney. Have you seen a DATA bus pull into Durham station any time from 7am to 7pm on a work day? Every bus has at least 20 passengers on it.
How about this. Let's hold a referendum for light rail, and we'll see if the majority of the public approves it. I'm pretty confident that at least Durham and Orange county will approve the 0.5% transit sales tax referendum.
Agreed. I ride DATA from time to time to get to and from Durham Station to transfer to Triangle Transit. It's a rare occasion when I get onto a bus that's not full or close to full. Sure, there are some runs during non-peak hours that have fewer riders, but that's to be expected.
The previous comment about Triangle Transit using mostly vans is so far off the mark that it's laughable. They use vans for vanpool commuters, but full-size coach buses for most of their normal routes. The TT buses between Durham, Chapel Hill, and RTP are often completely full.
I was just thinking today when looking at Amtrak's Saturday schedule I wish the light rail was here and built. Then I could ride the train to the beer fest worry free
Well, the $10 million for Rolling Hills is for this year, 2011.
I may be off about TTA & vans, that's what I used to see when I traveled I 40 every day. I still do, but not daily in rush hour as much.
That small transit sales tax does not sound like much now, but you can be sure it will grow if rail is built & then has to be staffed & maintained. The other shoe drops then.
Let's hold a referendum for light rail, and we'll see if the majority of the public approves it. I'm pretty confident that at least Durham and Orange county will approve the 0.5% transit sales tax referendum.
Much of Orange County is rural - I'd be skeptical of passing a transit tax there.
When I lived in south Florida, I took Tri-Rail down to the Miami Metro, rode it to a festival in Coconut Grove, and then retraced my route back home. It was fast, comfortable and cheap. If other communities can do it, so can Raleigh.
I know it isn't light local rail, but it will be awesome whenever the High Speed Rail comes in. Four hours to DC? I assume wireless internet and no traffic? Yes PLEASE!
Well, the $10 million for Rolling Hills is for this year, 2011.
I may be off about TTA & vans, that's what I used to see when I traveled I 40 every day. I still do, but not daily in rush hour as much.
That small transit sales tax does not sound like much now, but you can be sure it will grow if rail is built & then has to be staffed & maintained. The other shoe drops then.
How is the $10 million spent this year mis-management again?
The transit tax will cover the total cost of construction and operation of the light rail system, as well as increased bus service.
We all rail (ha) against how much we hate Big Government, but one of its mandates always seems to be how well it can get people from place to place. I love my car as much any anyone, but if rail could do it more efficiently, and more important, more cheaply, I'd ride. We just have to get over the resistance to public transportation. And I think that has to do less with PT as a concept as to where it actually goes. Airport, for one. If people coming into the area knew that they could hop on a train to downtown, and reverse the process when they were ready to leave, why would they not come here? I'm just sayin'.
Much of Orange County is rural - I'd be skeptical of passing a transit tax there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by peperoberto
Not by population....
Note that I said "much" not "most." You have to look at voting patterns in Orange County on tax issues. Outside of Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, support tends to be weaker for tax increases - typically with a solid margin against passage in rural areas. Margins in the non-rural areas tend to be more evenly split - either mildly for or mildly against. It will be interesting to see the results of the sales and use tax referendum this November 8.
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