Anyone use public transportation.....Is it any good? (Lakewood, Beachwood: buses, expensive)

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by CHIP72

Based on APTA (American Public Transportation Association) numbers, I believe Cleveland's RTA has about twice the ridership on its system as Cincinnati's system does, so you have to figure that some people who have the means to provide their own transportation still use the RTA by their own choice.

I checked the APTA website and the Cleveland RTA has about 2 1/2 times the ridership of the Cincinnati transit system. Some of that is a function of Cleveland having rail transit, but even excluding the rail usage the number of people using the RTA buses is a little more than twice the amount that use the buses on the Cincinnati system.

[Spartan06]

Originally Posted by costello_musicman

I grew up on RTA...and also lived without a car for a good 2.5 years.

I lived in Little Italy and we have access to the Red Line and Health Line down Euclid Ave.

Basically, if you live in the right place (Shaker Square, Little Italy, Downtown, University Circle, Shaker Hts, Ohio City, Lakewood....) it could easily work.

Sounds good. That's what I want to hear.

[BelieveInCleve]

I occasionally use public transportation. The bus system is pretty good for nearly all of Cuyahoga County, the rapid/light rail system is great but not that extensive so you have to live in certain areas. If you have to use the rapid every weekday it would be better if you could live close to a stop, like within 1/2 mile.

I lived in Cincinnati for a while in the past and I can tell you the public transportation system is MUCH better in Cleveland, Cincinnatis was a joke compared to ours. All kinds of people use the PT system, there are certain bus lines and times of the day and week where it's mostly poor but those should be obvious once you live here for a while, the system is very safe to use in general although there are random isolated incidents like any other city like NYC and Chicago. I see many people riding the RTA with nice suits on going downtown for work, people and families with luggage headed out to Hopkins Airport.

The SE part of Lakewood is near a rapid stop, which is a pretty fast trip to downtown or the airport from there, the Bus system in lakewood is also very good. Shaker Heights is probably the best community for the rail system, 2 light rail lines go through it, very convenient if you need to head to downtown or transfer over to the red line partway there. It also has a pretty good bus sytem. University hts isn't far from the green line (light rail) and the bus system is decent as well. In some neighborhoods in Cuyahoga County it's very possible to live car-free.

RTA website: http://www.riderta.com/maps-schedules.asp
RTA system map (bus + rail): http://www.riderta.com/pdf/maps/System_Map_Main.pdf
RTA rail map: http://www.visitingdc.com/images/cleveland-rta-map.jpg

[Cleveland_Collector]

RTA is the best in the State of Ohio. It's also one of the best in the entire country. Also, if you live anywhere in Downtown, University Circle, Shaker Hts., etc., you can most definitely live without a car. Hell, I know people who even do it in the 2nd tier suburbs. They ride RTA almost exclusively.

[gofuzzy]

It's great to see so many people who are positive about public transportation and RTA!

I've never owned a car and I've been an RTA rider for almost 3 years. Luckily for most of you, it sounds as if you have access to the rapid. For me, I've only ever had the bus which I constantly have to worry about losing. A rapid is pretty tough to eliminate or re-route and I've often wished for that security.

The worst thing about RTA is the lack of money. Within 3 years, my monthly pass has gone from about $60 to $85. Also, I've seen so many buses disappear (remember those handy circulators?) and nowadays you're lucky if your bus comes once an hour. Sadly, I don't see this improving anytime soon. It's very hard to get around if you have to connect buses because you'll often be waiting for half an hour or more. Weekends are even worse. There are only a handful of buses that run downtown and most buses stop running by 7:00pm. Ouch.

Also, I can't help but warn you about our talking buses. The buses have vocal warning systems that go off every time they make a turn. This is to prevent the drivers from running over people, but the alarms are so obnoxious they make you want to throw yourself in front of the bus to end your pain. I'm not sure if the trains have these alerts, but I pray for you that they don't.

Hopefully I don't sound TOO much like I'm complaining, but I know I certainly have a case of rapid/train envy. I just wanted to be completely honest about the buses in case you need to use them. As tough as it can be to get anywhere, here I am years later, still without a car. It can be done! I've always loved the idea of public transportation and I think RTA is pretty good and that they work with what they have.

Good luck and I hope this info helps!

[gofuzzy]

Oh, and by the way, this is one of the best things ever created:

Google Transit

Type in where you want to go and Google will tell you how to get there using RTA. I use this all the time.

[WeSoHood]

I use the rapid all the time. I'm in transition into moving to Lakewood myself. My favorite area of Cleveland's inner ring suburbs BY FAR.

[Spartan06]

Originally Posted by WeSoHood

I use the rapid all the time. I'm in transition into moving to Lakewood myself. My favorite area of Cleveland's inner ring suburbs BY FAR.

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by gofuzzy

Also, I can't help but warn you about our talking buses. The buses have vocal warning systems that go off every time they make a turn. This is to prevent the drivers from running over people, but the alarms are so obnoxious they make you want to throw yourself in front of the bus to end your pain. I'm not sure if the trains have these alerts, but I pray for you that they don't.

Agreed. If I was driving for RTA I would have quit when they installed that on my bus. It's maddening. One idiot RTA driver hits a woman so OMIGOD! WE HAVE TO MAKE EVERY BUS TALK SO OUR DRIVERS CAN PAY LESS ATTENTION! Now if an RTA bus hits you while turning it's your fault, right?
Same reason we have warning labels on plastic bags: DON'T PUT ON YOUR HEAD....
Lawyers ruin everything.

[KKoots16]

The RTA is a good transportation system but I am on the west side and in order to get to the east side by 8:30 I need to take a bus at 5:22am, take a rapid and then wait a long time and then take a bus to Beachwood. The buses are clean and the drivers competent but it is not always worth it for me to take the RTA