Do you have an "appetite" for public transit? (Phoenix: neighborhood, live)

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by Voebe

Jessica Mefford-Miller, the new head of Valley Metro, newly arrived in Phoenix, said in an interview that we have "an appetite for public transit."

I somehow doubt this. I'm guessing that it's just a matter of her asking people who try to be supportive, maybe mentioning that an addition to the rail line might be nice.

So, assuming you don't now take Valley Metro buses, if you don't have a stop near you, would you suddenly start taking buses if there was a stop 2 or 3 blocks from your home?

It isn't just a matter of locations, it's also a matter of frequency.

When I lived in Bangkok, on most bus routes there was a bus every few minutes. Literally. Loved talking the bus...or the Sky Train, or the subway.

When I lived in the Washington DC area, if I went downtown I virtually always used the subway unless my specific destination was not close to a subway station. No appetite to take the subway and then have to additionally take a cab.

[john3232]

Perhaps it's best to simply improve the bus service here. San Diego set up a bus route to get residents from areas like the Hillcrest and University Height district into downtown quickly.

Let's face it most people aren't going to give up their cars. Especially not to ride an undependable, unsafe public transportation system.

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

The light rail has become a moving homeless shelter.

I rode the the light rail to downtown Phoenix quite a few times for jury duty, and this was my main complaint. This was when the weather was nice, Dec-Mar, so they were not riding to escape the heat.

[Williamhbonney]

Hell no.

I've already got the expenses of having a car and a motorcycle for transportation and take an uber a few times a year when needed.

The only thing to really be gained is mysery.

[Voebe]

Originally Posted by john3232

A two/three block walk and an express line to downtown Mesa, Phx, and Tempe?

Yes, but the walk would need to be under 20 minutes. More important the train would need to get me to where I'm going fast. Which means the train would have to travel above or below the city streets.

Okay, but I was really asking about buses. So that would be a "no" for you, right?

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

Sure. If it were efficient. Public transit can be amazing. Go to Europe. I’m not sitting on some gross tube while it stops every 100 feet here though.

Well, we're never going to be like Europe. But if I'm understanding you, you object to bus stops being too frequent? I'm not sure what exactly is "gross," though.

By the way, since nothing much is efficient in Phoenix, I'm not sure it's reasonable to expect it of transit.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by Voebe

Okay, but I was really asking about buses. So that would be a "no" for you, right?



Well, we're never going to be like Europe. But if I'm understanding you, you object to bus stops being too frequent? I'm not sure what exactly is "gross," though.

By the way, since nothing much is efficient in Phoenix, I'm not sure it's reasonable to expect it of transit.

Well, if I lived in Mesa and worked in downtown Phx and there was a bus walking distance from my house which was reliable as well as fast in the morning I'd be interested.

[Not Sure 12]

On a recent outing to run errands and such, I stopped at Circle K for a coke. Next stop, the post office to drop off a couple of packages and then, to the barber shop for a haircut. After that, to the market to buy eight 2 liter bottles of Coke (on sale) and then to Lowes to pick up two 8 foot 2x4s and four 8x8x16 concrete blocks for a backyard project. Then back home. Took an hour and fifteen minutes.

Anybody want to venture a guess as to how long this would take on public transit? I don't.

Of course, not every trip is like this but I've already got a car that will take me door to door wherever and whenever I want, so what's the incentive to take public transportation that (ignoring all the other negatives posted above) won't pick me up at my house and drops me off somewhere near(ish) to where I want to go, leaving me to walk the rest of the way?

[john3232]

Originally Posted by Not Sure 12

On a recent outing to run errands and such, I stopped at Circle K for a coke. Next stop, the post office to drop off a couple of packages and then, to the barber shop for a haircut. After that, to the market to buy eight 2 liter bottles of Coke (on sale) and then to Lowes to pick up two 8 foot 2x4s and four 8x8x16 concrete blocks for a backyard project. Then back home. Took an hour and fifteen minutes.

Anybody want to venture a guess as to how long this would take on public transit? I don't.

Of course, not every trip is like this but I've already got a car that will take me door to door wherever and whenever I want, so what's the incentive to take public transportation that (ignoring all the other negatives posted above) won't pick me up at my house and drops me off somewhere near(ish) to where I want to go, leaving me to walk the rest of the way?

I lived in Dallas for almost 2 years without a car. Not fun having to take the bus everywhere.

But the bus was fine getting me to and from downtown where I worked.

[Sno0909]

I don't think anyone voluntarily takes the bus. So I would guess that appetite is zero if you are not in serious poverty.

[WK91]

Originally Posted by phetaroi

It isn't just a matter of locations, it's also a matter of frequency.

When I lived in Bangkok, on most bus routes there was a bus every few minutes. Literally. Loved talking the bus...or the Sky Train, or the subway.

When I lived in the Washington DC area, if I went downtown I virtually always used the subway unless my specific destination was not close to a subway station. No appetite to take the subway and then have to additionally take a cab.

I have used public transportation in Seoul, Bangkok, and Tokyo very extensively. It’s very easy to use and clean and safe.

As you already know, in other countries, they don’t allow criminals to menace whole neighborhoods all in the name of equity, and they don’t allow drug users, dangerously violent psychotics, and homeless people to sleep in the street or train or bus. Except Bangkok, they do have beggars, some handicapped, on the street, but I’ve been told they do have a place to stay, they just do it to make money off the western tourists.

But until we fix our social problems in the US, which will be never, I refuse to mix with the “public” on any type of transportation.