RTA: What's good, bad, and improvable (Cleveland, Akron: appointed, buying, maintenance)

[WRnative]

We obviously could use a thread dedicated to just RTA concerns. Here it is.

[WRnative]

This station should be a jewel in the RTA system as the terminal for both the Healthline, Red Line and several important bus loops. It isn't.

Myself and a couple friends decided to use it last month buying day passes.

The ticket kiosk was pathetically bad. We discovered a double entry was needed to get tickets. The machine would not take bills. You had to bend over to see the screen. Very pathetic. I don't remember seeing any information posted about fares, such as senior passes.

Even though the station is supposed to have public rest rooms, we couldn't find one. When we inquired at the security office, we were told that there isn't one, even though RTA's website says the station is supposed to offer public rest rooms. I also didn't see the café referenced below.

Louis Stokes/Windermere Rapid Station | Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

When we returned to our car, we were approached by several panhandlers near dusk. Can't RTA ban loitering at its stations?

Has anyone encountered similar problems at Windermere or other major RTA stations?

This was the most unsatisfactory experience that I've had on RTA.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by WRnative

This station should be a jewel in the RTA system as the terminal for both the Healthline, Red Line and several important bus loops. It isn't.

Myself and a couple friends decided to use it last month buying day passes.

The ticket kiosk was pathetically bad. We discovered a double entry was needed to get tickets. The machine would not take bills. You had to bend over to see the screen. Very pathetic. I don't remember seeing any information posted about fares, such as senior passes.

Even though the station is supposed to have public rest rooms, we couldn't find one. When we inquired at the security office, we were told that there isn't one, even though RTA's website says the station is supposed to offer public rest rooms. I also didn't see the café referenced below.

Louis Stokes/Windermere Rapid Station | Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

When we returned to our car, we were approached by several panhandlers near dusk. Can't RTA ban loitering at its stations?

Has anyone encountered similar problems at Windermere or other major RTA stations?

This was the most unsatisfactory experience that I've had on RTA.

I used Stokes/Windermere a couple times when it was still new-ish. Back then there was a coffee-pastry shop that had a bathroom that was open to the public (you didn't have to purchase anything in order to use it). Over time this shop began looking run down although the danish were pretty good, then about 5-6 years ago, the owner of the shop, who also owned the cheesy looking McCall's Motor Inn down the street at Euclid-Lee, got busted for sex (or sexual imposition) against a minor IIRC, and not surprisingly, the shop closed and hasn't reopened since. The last time I passed through Stokes-Windermere the shop windows were still papered over... quite naturally, the public bathroom closed along with it.

Too bad; the station is designed well -- it's open, airy and attractive, but it appears maintenance has gone by the boards.

[1watertiger]

Expand the waterfront line and have it loop downtown around CSU/Playhouse sq, tri c and arena district and back underground to tower city.

[1watertiger]

^ also extend the rapids south to Akron via route 8 or I77. We need a more regional/ expanded system for NE ohio

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by 1watertiger

Expand the waterfront line and have it loop downtown around CSU/Playhouse sq, tri c and arena district and back underground to tower city.

Yes, I really like this idea. I'd also branch off a line rising to the surface at around CSU to head down Euclid -- essentially the original Dual-Hub rail proposal that failed, which led to the Healthline BRT. The HL was nice, originally, but after that NAACP complaint leading to the end of the Proof-of-Payment system on the HL, it's just a typical, slow-boarding bus now with fancy stations. POP is still used on the Red Line, although I understand fare jumping is a major problem now, esp since I haven't seen fare enforcement anywhere except at the W. 25-Ohio City station these days.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by TheProf

Yes, I really like this idea. I'd also branch off a line rising to the surface at around CSU to head down Euclid -- essentially the original Dual-Hub rail proposal that failed, which led to the Healthline BRT. The HL was nice, originally, but after that NAACP complaint leading to the end of the Proof-of-Payment system on the HL, it's just a typical, slow-boarding bus now with fancy stations. POP is still used on the Red Line, although I understand fare jumping is a major problem now, esp since I haven't seen fare enforcement anywhere except at the W. 25-Ohio City station these days.

They really must do something about the HL payment system. Everyone now has to pay upon entrance which when it is crowded is quite difficult when entering from side doors (when front door isn't available) and requires having to fight your way to the farebox and then fight your way back to find seat or standing area. It totally slows things down too and is just so ridiculous. The whole point was to make boarding fast and efficient and it was until they changed the procedure. Why can't it go back to the honor system and have RTA police come on board for spot checking of tickets/payment?

And another thing - I wish drivers would enforce the "no congregating" at the front rule. I notice there is an announcement that comes on about this sometimes. So many people just hang out at the front and block egress, even when there are plenty of seats.

[ferraris]

The West 3rd Street Station could use some beefing up. I went to a Browns game in December and stood outside in the bitter cold for over 30 minutes before being able to get onto a train (and this was going on hour number 4 of being outdoors since arriving at the game). The different queues weren't really handled well by the police directing people where to go, either.

Games and events are many people's first and only experience with RTA, so it would pay off for them to make a better impression...even if they don't gain people as regular riders, they might at least gain them as voters.

A few walls and a roof to break the wind and protect from rain and snow would go a long way. It wouldn't even have to be a real building, but just a structure like a large bus shelter. Maybe throw in a sign or two showing real time GPS tracking info for the next trains.

More frequent service on game days wouldn't hurt either.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by ferraris

The West 3rd Street Station could use some beefing up. I went to a Browns game in December and stood outside in the bitter cold for over 30 minutes before being able to get onto a train (and this was going on hour number 4 of being outdoors since arriving at the game). The different queues weren't really handled well by the police directing people where to go, either.

Games and events are many people's first and only experience with RTA, so it would pay off for them to make a better impression...even if they don't gain people as regular riders, they might at least gain them as voters.

A few walls and a roof to break the wind and protect from rain and snow would go a long way. It wouldn't even have to be a real building, but just a structure like a large bus shelter. Maybe throw in a sign or two showing real time GPS tracking info for the next trains.

More frequent service on game days wouldn't hurt either.

Wow, I'm really surprised and disappointed to hear this. The last time I rode the Rapid to the Game was 3-4 years ago, and it was pretty much a snap. They had inbound, 2-car trains lined up at W. 3rd so that, when the game was in doubt (and when aren't they when the Browns are involved?) to handle the crowds... I understand, though, that because of age and LRT rail car attrition, RTA barely has enough cars to run a normal operation, so it's probably a lot worse now, which sucks.

[mbowes80]

My main complaint about my experience with the system is that the stops on many routes are too infrequent to be convenient. For example, on Sunday afternoon I was downtown and rode the Waterfront Line (partly just for kicks.) In both directions, the frequency was 30 minutes between train arrivals... even from Tower City. The CSU line has similarly bad frequency outside of rush hour.

In order not to seem like a pain in the arse, I don't ever want to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus/train, especially on a major route. For anyone who has the option to drive, this is probably the maximum level of wait-inconvenience beyond which you won't bother. On the other hand, perhaps the system is there primarily for people who have no other choice, and thus must schedule carefully. But it'd be great if the system became more widely used by those with options who just want to save gas or don't want to have to find parking.