51,000 rides in less than a month for streetcar (Atlanta, Lawrenceville: buying, restaurants)

[Cameron H]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Poor opening schedule during the cold winter months could be part of the issue.

Their ridership projections didn't account for seasonality? That's really hard to believe.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

From today's AJC: choo choo ridership is 18% lower than expected during free ride period and operating costs are now projected to be 50% higher than thought.

From today's article (Copy-pasted from the Subreddit since I don't subscribe to the AJC):

The city decided it would run the system because it could do so more economically than either MARTA or a private contractor. But the federal government, which is paying a large part of the expense, insisted that MARTA have some role in the project, at least at first.

“So (part of) the additional cost is basically related to MARTA staffing,” Geisler said.

The city also will spend more than $1 million a year on the new office dedicated to amassing federal transit funding. Geisler said that cost will not go down.

City Hall had estimated earlier that it would cost slightly less than $3.2 million a year to operate the system. Now the city says it will cost $4.8 million — a 52 percent increase.

Six weeks into the Atlanta Streetcar’s first three months – that special period when it’s free to ride –102,000 people rode on the cars. The city’s target for the period was 124,800.

We'll see how costs can go down when City of Atlanta takes over operations. Maybe they can do something to streamline that federal grant office, considering it's ~21% of the overall budget. Maybe they could accommodate it into the full city's operations instead of just the Streetcar? I mean, more projects around the city will need federal funding, and get it, why keep it with just the Streetcar?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Maybe they can do something to streamline that federal grant office, considering it's ~21% of the overall budget. Maybe they could accommodate it into the full city's operations instead of just the Streetcar? I mean, more projects around the city will need federal funding, and get it, why keep it with just the Streetcar?

One would hope. It seems like $1 million a year is a lot for an office that is intended just to get federal grants for the streetcar.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

From today's article (Copy-pasted from the Subreddit since I don't subscribe to the AJC):



We'll see how costs can go down when City of Atlanta takes over operations. Maybe they can do something to streamline that federal grant office, considering it's ~21% of the overall budget. Maybe they could accommodate it into the full city's operations instead of just the Streetcar? I mean, more projects around the city will need federal funding, and get it, why keep it with just the Streetcar?

During the streetcar tour 2 weeks ago, it was rumored that it'll take 6 months of operation until the city can prove to the feds they are capable of operating the streetcar system.

[Cameron H]

Originally Posted by arjay57

One would hope. It seems like $1 million a year is a lot for an office that is intended just to get federal grants for the streetcar.

Lobbying is expensive. It's not like the feds making funding decisions are going to buy their own lap dances.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Cameron H

Lobbying is expensive. It's not like the feds making funding decisions are going to buy their own lap dances.

Free dances at Magic City.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by Cameron H

Lobbying is expensive. It's not like the feds making funding decisions are going to buy their own lap dances.

Just take'm to the Clairmont!

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Poor opening schedule during the cold winter months could be part of the issue. People are less likely to stand in the weather waiting on transit. I think this is why the mayor is pushing for an extension to the Eastside Trail ASAP.

And that's why it should have opened during the summer.

[ATLondoner]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

And that's why it should have opened during the summer.

But which summer?!

[kasuga888]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

And that's why it should have opened during the summer.

Then the hot/humid/rain woould of impacted ridership. Should of waited and open in the spring