So...one streetcar was running for Memorial Day Weekend..... (Atlanta: transfer, maintenance)

[Ant131531]

Yesterday, I walked to work past the giant electronic billboard above 218 Peachtree Street and glimpsed an ad for the Atlanta Streetcar. It’s a modified version of a promotion that aired in Times Square back in April. “Downtown Atlanta is on the move,” proclaims the tagline.

That might be the case. Too bad that the same can’t be said for the Atlanta Streetcar. For more than a week, service on the system has been delayed, disrupted, and scaled back. Yesterday, as crowds poured into the city for the holiday weekend, the Hawks conference finals game, and a slew of special events, streetcar service was reduced to a single car, forcing passengers to wait 30 to 40 minutes to even board the trolley.

- See more at: Commentary: It

So when are we going to acknowledge that the Streetcar has been a total failure so far or are we just going to ignore it because it goes against the narrative that it's been a success and it will expand soon? I even said, give it 6 months and we'll see how it's holding up.

How can seriously be just ONE streetcar running during one of the biggest tourist weekends of the year? What the hell, Atlanta? They are just not giving a good case for expansion....why should the feds give more money up to a system that's ran just as poorly as MARTA, if not more poorly?

This just makes Atlanta look so bad, amateur and you seriously can't tell me a world class city would have problems like this....different story if it were maintenance, but a shortage of drivers....really? Atlanta wants to be a world class city, but it's still ran as if it's the size of Charlotte or Nashville.

[jsvh]

It is a problem for sure. But not unexpected for a new transit system. It would be a bigger deal if this were larger and many were using it to commute. This will be a major problem if they don't have these kinked worked out when they have the next major expansion.

[PKCorey]

Man, this needs to go in the other street car thread.

If they have a shortage, what do you expect them to do? Break regulations for you?

Sounds like the same issue that any transit agency has to deal with with drivers. Call outs and no replacement drivers.

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

Man, this needs to go in the other street car thread.

If they have a shortage, what do you expect them to do? Break regulations for you?

Sounds like the same issue that any transit agency has to deal with with drivers. Call outs and no replacement drivers.

Fire the drivers and train new ones. Give incentive to get these people to work and not be LAZY and unmotivated to get up and do the job they are PAID to do.

[cqholt]

It is unacceptable, but the other drivers are getting their CDL and federal law has restrictions on driver hours. The ones calling in sick, need to start preparing their resume. But what does one expect when America has a certified, skilled labor storage. The media does not make operating transit sexy or desirable, when though the operators have the opportunity to make good money and good benfits.

[gt6974a]

What do you expect? They can't even figure out how to charge people for it.

[afdinatl]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

Man, this needs to go in the other street car thread.

If they have a shortage, what do you expect them to do? Break regulations for you?

Sounds like the same issue that any transit agency has to deal with with drivers. Call outs and no replacement drivers.

He wants them to provide horses for people to ride while the streetcar gets fixed

Hopefully the one running doesn't get in an accident

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

What do you expect? They can't even figure out how to charge people for it.

They are looking at newer, better technology that will allow people to pay with a smartphone or something other than a BreezeCard, yet will allow for transfers. What is wrong with wanting to look at newer, better technology?

[tikigod311]

I guess I don't see it as that damning at this point. It's a new, non critical piece of infrastructure. Kinks will be worked out. It's not like it has to be 100% from day one. If it was critical, they would have to hire more experts and plan to an extent that would make it more expensive than it needs to be.

But I think it is a testament to how the CoA should not be running transit.

To they payment machine issue, it sounds like an epic screw up. Hopefully MARTA can reuse some of those machines, cause I'm sure they are nowhere in the ballpark of cheap.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

So when are we going to acknowledge that the Streetcar has been a total failure so far or are we just going to ignore it because it goes against the narrative that it's been a success and it will expand soon? I even said, give it 6 months and we'll see how it's holding up.

I would hardly call it a total failure. The cars are running, problems are getting fixed, and people are riding it. Nothing that's happened so far is too surprising (no matter how frustrating they really are) for a system that has not been operated in the metro in 50+ years.

How can seriously be just ONE streetcar running during one of the biggest tourist weekends of the year? What the hell, Atlanta? They are just not giving a good case for expansion....why should the feds give more money up to a system that's ran just as poorly as MARTA, if not more poorly?

You're right. It is unacceptable that only one car was running. I think you'll be hard pressed to find those that support the streetcar system will disagree with you on that. That being said, it's a rather predictable side effect of the rider shortage.

The jab at MARTA is a but unfounded, mostly due to the recent operational/financial/expansion successes that MARTA has seen. The feds are more than happy to match MARTA funding, so according to you they'll be happy to match CoA for the streetcars?

This just makes Atlanta look so bad, amateur and you seriously can't tell me a world class city would have problems like this....different story if it were maintenance, but a shortage of drivers....really? Atlanta wants to be a world class city, but it's still ran as if it's the size of Charlotte or Nashville.

You're right, again, the driver shortage is a horrible oversight, and it sounds like it's getting fixed as we speak. There will be enough drivers soon, and the schedule will return to normal.