The Observation Deck

Jerry Ritcey wrote:....we'd have an eye in their management process.....

We have seen enough of their management process:

Spend hundreds of millions on wastefull projects (Euclid Corridor). Complain that ridership is down. Cut routes with high ridership. Raise fares. Maintain routes with low ridership. Make decisions behind closed doors. Spend more money. Increase fares. Repeat process.

Time for new management and a new process.

Are we able to vote ourselves out of the RTA system? Why do we need to cotinue to pay taxes to an entity that clearly feels it neither must listen to its funders nor serve its communities?

Did the GCRTA say it was no longer going to serve Lakewood? What I think I am hearing/reading is that the entity feels circulators overlap much (not all) of the same territory covered by the long buses.

Does anybody have any confidence that the GCRTA is just trying to be more efficient with our tax dollars? (Imagine the outcry if they had tried to make these changes when tax revenues were normal. Sometimes, quasi public-private entities need economic turmoil to enact efficient measures.)

Will circulator users really not be able to get from point A to point B anymore? It might not be as convenient but riders can still get to where they need to get to, no?

I'm just trying to be objective and serious here, so, don't beat me up too bad.

Thanks.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that the Circulator fares are only 75 cents and the long buses are $1.50.
That would be one big difference and very meaningful for those with low incomes.

David--- Your concerns are right on point. They go to the heart of my contentions in past posts.
Specifically, the RTA route structure is an overlay of a 1950s map of industry and commerce onto a current day map that simply does not reflect that anymore.
Sadly, RTA is like a punch drunk boxer, hiding into a crouch to defend what no longer is defensible.
Clearly, they don't "get it" the 21st century. To whit, my challenge to have one of their staff respond on this "newfangled" thing called the internet, specifically-- the Deck.
Having a good system of public transportation is as much an essential as good water, and good water treatment.
It's not a luxury or a feel good palliative for those without private transportation. It's essential to a workable North East Ohio.

Actually, despite all the circus like attention to current County office holders, the County still functions.

Sadly, this particular agency is perversely working against us.

Stan Austin

I just returned from the RTA Board of Trustees Meeting. There was a good crowd from all over the county, as well as Councilman Marty Keane from West Park.

A representative of Congressman Kucinich's office stated that the Congressman has made a request to the Department of Transportation to give Lakewood funding to operate a circulator system, which some of the board members seemed interested in.

I stated that we were pursuing federal funding as a last resort- we want RTA to operate the circulator system, since that's what they receive taxpayer support for.

I also introduced letters from Lakewood Hospital and the Lakewood Public Schools about how the elimination of the circulator will effect them.

We are now on Day 18 of RTA's failure to respond to our public records request- not even one scrap of paper has been provided. In response to a board member's question, General Manager Joe Calabrese could offer no explanation as to why they had not responded.

Stay tuned.

Thanks for keeping us informed and for your vigilance in pursuing the fight.

Ed FitzGerald wrote:I just returned from the RTA Board of Trustees Meeting. There was a good crowd from all over the county, as well as Councilman Marty Keane from West Park.

A representative of Congressman Kucinich's office stated that the Congressman has made a request to the Department of Transportation to give Lakewood funding to operate a circulator system, which some of the board members seemed interested in.

I stated that we were pursuing federal funding as a last resort- we want RTA to operate the circulator system, since that's what they receive taxpayer support for.

I also introduced letters from Lakewood Hospital and the Lakewood Public Schools about how the elimination of the circulator will effect them.

We are now on Day 18 of RTA's failure to respond to our public records request- not even one scrap of paper has been provided. In response to a board member's question, General Manager Joe Calabrese could offer no explanation as to why they had not responded.

Stay tuned.

I'd like to see this on the front page of the Observer.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Then we sell for scrap the 8 garbage trucks rusting at the Kennels. Buy some highly efficient hydrogen vans to move Lakewoodites from along Madison, Detroit and Clifton to Cleveland stops and/or rapid stations. We get local control over our transportation, we lose noisy, smelly falling apart buses and circulators. We make a statement on this being a clean and green city. Which attracts like minded people and the dogs get back their run, down at the kennels.

Where exactly would you go to fuel said vehicles?

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090508/ANA02/905089965/1186
Obama killed funding for a hydrogen infrastructure.

does anyone that has posted in this thread actually ride rta on a regular basis? i do and it sucks. albeit a necessary suck.

the circulator is widely used by our senior population. how many times do u see a bus pull up to the doors of giant eagle and pick up some nice older lady with her groceries? i'll give u a hint..it starts with an "n" and ends in "ever". the circulator on the other hand has not only helped people haul their groceries (me included) but it has helped get people all over lakewood for prices cheaper than cab fare. and whoever suggested that rta head up to the high school to pick up the kids should remember...i walked to lhs, u walked to lhs, heck, everyone had to walk to lhs...get over it.

so rta needs to make cuts (cripes, who doesnt?). i don't believe that the lkwd circulator should be one of them. but hey what do i know, i only ride rta six out of seven days a week.

sharon kinsella wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that the Circulator fares are only 75 cents and the long buses are $1.50.

The circulators are now $1.25 and the long buses are $2.00 and all day passes are $4.50. I believe there is a .25 cent increase coming in September as well.

kate e parker wrote:does anyone that has posted in this thread actually ride rta on a regular basis? i do and it sucks. albeit a necessary suck.

the circulator is widely used by our senior population. how many times do u see a bus pull up to the doors of giant eagle and pick up some nice older lady with her groceries? i'll give u a hint..it starts with an "n" and ends in "ever". the circulator on the other hand has not only helped people haul their groceries (me included) but it has helped get people all over lakewood for prices cheaper than cab fare. and whoever suggested that rta head up to the high school to pick up the kids should remember...i walked to lhs, u walked to lhs, heck, everyone had to walk to lhs...get over it.

so rta needs to make cuts (cripes, who doesnt?). i don't believe that the lkwd circulator should be one of them. but hey what do i know, i only ride rta six out of seven days a week.

I do ride RTA and it does suck. However we get the public transport we pay for ( in taxes ) Yes we should pay more taxes for better more comprehensive public transport. We need to support the RTA, and in turn, force them to a level of service that at least puts on par with the rest of the world.

That said, if the RTA want to make cuts they sure do not show it. At least as far as the new ATM style ticket thing at the rapid stations. My lord I am sure those things cost a crazy amount of money. ( I am sure there were kick backs-a-flying ) If anybody has an extra two bucks to blow, it is worth it to go to the 117 rapid station and attempt to get a ticket into Cleveland. It is by far the most confusing and misguided thing there is. I work with computers for a living and the fact that whoever designed this software is call a developer is funny to say the least.

Well enough ranting. Support public transport, and RTA you do the same.

RTA could not afford to run the mini Circulators anymore, as they find it more
cost effective to run these massive double buses with only one rider on them.
All night long.

This regional thing is pretty cool.



.

Jim DeVito -

I am so glad you posted you opinion about the ticket machines. Your're not the only one.

I took my two eldest children to the Browns game Saturday night. We took the rapid from W. 117th and there was a line of 30 people waiting to purchase fare tickets from two machines. Nobody could figure it out and no attendant was on duty.

Mind you, for years I used to park at 117th or Triskett every day and take the rapid to Tower City. However, for the last 8 years I've had a job where I need my car during the day. So, while I haven't had much recent practice with the RTA, I found the process counter intuitive.

Ugh.

Today, I sent the following letter to RTA:

"Dear Mr.Calabrese:

Unfortunately, nearly 30 days have now passed since we served RTA with a public records request on July 31st, 2009, and we are still awaiting compliance.

State law requires that public records be provided to requesting parties in a timely manner. Ohio courts have interpreted that 30 day delays are excessive. Most notably, despite the fact that we explicitly requested all internal emails and memos regarding the circulator service cuts authored by RTA personnel, and reiterated our request at a recent RTA Board meeting, not a single such document was provided. It is simply not plausible to contend that in a large organization such as RTA, you were personally the only author of emails and memos regarding these service cuts.

In an attempt to avoid incurring more legal expenses, I am giving RTA 72 hours, until 2:30 p.m., on August 31st, 2009, to produce the internally generated emails and memos regarding the circulator service cuts. My law department has drafted a mandamus action seeking to compel RTA’s compliance, which will be promptly filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court upon the expiration of the 72 hour deadline.

The original purpose of our public records request was to gain additional insight into the reasoning and facts behind these decisions. With the September 20th date for the elimination of all circulator routes rapidly approaching, RTA’s unreasonable delay in producing these records is frustrating our legitimate advocacy for our residents.

I hope RTA will comply by the deadline; otherwise, I am confident that a court will order RTA to do so.


Sincerely,



Ed FitzGerald
Mayor of Lakewood"

It's a real shame that we have had to go to these lengths to get compliance for a simple request.